Climate Change and Food Systems: Challenges and Possibilities
The Climate Change Crisis
Climate change impacts all aspects of life, including the capacity to grow and procure nourishing food and clean water. Likewise, food systems and dietary practices impact climate change. These inextricable relationships provide challenges but also opportunities for adopting progressive adaptation and mitigation strategies that could simultaneously promote both population and planetary health.
Consensus
Excluding science deniers, there is general consensus that human activity is the major driver of climate change. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, the United States Fifth National Climate Assessment, the 2022 United Nations Land Report, the En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator, and the Doughnut Economics Research Lab serve as a select sampling of the scholarly work that exposes climate change’s effects on each of us and all of us by altering earth’s operating and socioeconomic systems.
Climate Change Basics
The burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal) is the major contributor of greenhouse gases (GHG), contributing approximately 75% of the global GHG and 90% of carbon dioxide emissions. Industrial operations such as producing cement, applying nitrogen-based fertilizers, storing waste in landfills, deforestation, raising cattle, and storing animal manure in lagoons also serve as additional sources of greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2) methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Collectively, these GHG act like a blanket around earth, trapping the energy from the sun and warming the lower levels of the atmosphere, our lands, our waterways, and glaciers.
In response to warming temperature, water vapor (technically another potent GHG for its heat trapping capacity) levels increase. According to NASA, increased water vapor in the atmosphere amplifies the warming caused by other greenhouse gases; as GHG heat up the earth’s lands and water, the land becomes more dry, and waters become warmer. More moisture is released into the atmosphere, increasing water vapor, which accentuates the warming potential of GHGs. As a feedback mechanism, this increase in water vapor leads to more extreme weather events, intense rainfall, erosion, floods, tornados, and hurricanes. Increases in air temperature can also lead to loss of soil moisture, topsoil and droughts, impacting crop production throughout the United States. Dry conditions require more extensive irrigation, create unsafe working conditions for farmers and field workers, and increase the risk of fire.
Recent Events as Examples of Climate Change and Food System Viability
There is no running away from climate change. Asheville was once thought to be a climate haven, until Helene devastated this region of North Carolina. Hurricanes are estimated to be 2.5 times more likely to occur now than in pre-industrial revolution times. Scientists suggest that climate change caused over 50% more rainfall during Helene in some parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, and that global warming made the high amount of rainfall up to 20 times more likely. Tragically, as of October 7th, Helene has been estimated to have caused at least over 230 deaths, with still many individuals unaccounted for in the states ravaged by the hurricane.
Not only has there been an extensive loss of life, the food and water system impacts are extensive and still being assessed. For instance, the six states most affected by Hurricane Helene—Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Virginia— produce roughly half of the country’s 9 billion chickens every year. Losses in production will lead to a loss in livelihoods for many producers and workers, reduced availability, and increased prices for consumers and food services operations alike.
In Georgia, the Georgia Farm Bureau, and the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences estimate Helene’s impact has been extensive, causing an estimated $6.46 billion in agricultural and forestry losses. These included impacts on poultry, dairy, cattle, timber, cotton, horticulture and nursery plants, vegetables, citrus, blueberries, soy, pecans, cotton and tobacco.
Besides the direct loss of food production, once the flood water recedes, many communities are faced with severe water system challenges. In the case of Helene, the states most impacted by the storm also produce cattle, hogs, and poultry. Not only does cattle and hog production lead to increased methane released, many of the confined animal production operations store animal manure in lagoons and open pits. These pathogen-rich lagoons easily contaminate water supplies during floods and severe weather events. Though public systems will be evaluated for bacterial contamination, individual households depending on private wells are faced with multiple challenges-from meeting daily water needs for bathing, cooking, and cleaning, paying for water tests, and in some cases getting new permits and digging new wells. Many of the areas in which concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) used for poultry, cattle and hog production are located are in rural, low-income neighborhoods. Given many households struggle with food costs, the additional cost of bottled water means less available income for purchasing food.
Persistent Impacts of Climate Change
It is not only during a severe weather event that climate change impacts our food system. As acknowledges in our 2023 Fifth National Climate Assessment.
“Climate change—especially shifts in precipitation, air temperature, and soil moisture—is disrupting agricultural production and food systems, and is projected to reduce the availability and affordability of nutritious food. Impacts are distributed unevenly, with farmworkers, subsistence-based communities, and rural populations facing increasing risks. Opportunities that leverage agroecological approaches can limit emissions from agriculture and improve the resilience of rural communities.”
And it is not only land-based operations that are impacted by climate change. Our oceans and waterways are showing climate change stress, from ocean acidification and coral reef demise, to loss of fish habitat, increased dead zones from algae blooms and of course disruptions in fishing and tourism due to severe weather events. Chapter 10. Ocean ecosystems and marine resources from the Fifth National Assessment provides an in-depth discussion of these extensive impacts.
Our dietary practices impact climate. For instance, when land and forests are cleared, more carbon is released into the air. Deforestation leads to increases in GHG releases, and animal production is a major driver of deforestation. In addition, cattle’s digestive processes result in the production and release of methane, which also contributes to GHG burden. Cattle also require large quantities of feed and water to produce meat used for human consumption, thus representing an inefficient way to secure food calories. Additional sources of GHG include the nitrous oxide from fertilizers use, and agricultural emissions from manure management, rice cultivation, burning of crop residues, and the use of fuel on farms. To learn more about climate change and dietary connections read the UN Fast Fact Sheet Link.
Changing Food and Water Practices
As individuals and families, we will not eat our way out of climate change, but changes in consumption and waste patterns can lead to reductions in GHG releases. They can also lead to improved nutritional status. Some of the strategies include:
1. Embracing a more plant-focused dietary pattern, while reducing animal protein, particularly beef.
2. Committing to reducing food and water waste
3. Eating less highly processed foods, which typically have high energy costs to produce.
4. Eating local and organic foods can contribute to more sustainably grown foods being available, and land and water ways kept more healthy
5. Embracing food and water as human rights could lead to embracing more just, sustainable, and equitable farming and fishing operations.
6. Practicing composting at the household and community level.
7. Follow dietary practices that help to ensure current and future eaters will be able to be nourished, thrive and survive.
8. Vote with climate change and our health in mind!
October 17, 2024
Joanne Burke, PhD, RD, LD, NH Healthy Climate
joanneburkerd@outlook.com
References (in Order of Links)
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