The FDA has become increasingly concerned with the effect of climate change on food safety. A report from the COP21 climate talks in Paris has revealed that food safety in general is seeing declines in quality and security.
Food Safety Report Published by the US Global Change Research Program
According to the results, warmer temperatures have been altering rainfall. This makes food production on farms perilous. This also threatens the transportation systems used for food, storage, and general food security. Increasing greenhouse gas emissions is very obviously disturbing food production. These levels need to see an immediate decrease.
Food security entails the capability of people to get enough safe and healthy food. This is affected not only by climate change, but also by technological advances, increases in population levels, wealth distribution and nutritional trends. The research shows that climate change has a particularly negative effect in food production in tropical and subtropical regions like Africa and southern Asia.
Climate Change Could Also Bring Productivity Increase
Other regions in with temperate climates could see productivity increases. Changing climates can bring increased rainfall. But this won’t last very long. If gas emission levels aren’t reduced, this increased rainfall will become a negative instead of a plus. Worse comes to worse, the rate of undernourishment in the world will raise by 178 million by 2080. The current figure stands around 805 million.
The level of undernourishment finally saw a decline from 1 billion in 1990, but if climate change isn’t halted, it’s possible that we may see the figures return to over a billion once again. Changes in climate as well as society are pivotal for food security. Given these figures, bodies like the FDA will immediately want to get to work on collaborating with bringing down greenhouse gas emissions.
A Growing Process
The FDA, despite being a US authority, doesn’t have the power to act alone. Politics are at the core of this problem. If the Senate and the White House work together to cut back on gas emissions, food safety may not see such a downfall after all.
FDA is Worried About Food Security
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