A new report has revealed that over 20% of UK shoppers’ preferred grocery items are in jeopardy due to climate breakdown. The charity Christian Aid has warned that changing weather patterns caused by CO2 emissions could lead to shortages of bananas, grapes, avocados, cashews, cocoa, peas, canned tuna, and tea in the coming years. The charity’s research shows that eight out of the 25 biggest food exporters to the UK, including Brazil, South Africa, India, Vietnam, Peru, Colombia, Ivory Coast, and Kenya, face a high climate vulnerability, putting 22% of products in a typical British grocery store at risk.
The impact of climate breakdown is already evident. Earlier this year, droughts in Spain and Morocco resulted in a suspension of tomato, cucumber, lettuce, pepper, and citrus fruit supplies to the UK. Yadira Lemus, a coffee farmer from Honduras, shared her family’s struggles with the changing climate. Lemus explained how it has become increasingly difficult to predict weather patterns, making it challenging to determine optimal planting times. This uncertainty has disrupted their traditional farming practices.
According to researchers, further global heating will lead to more extreme weather events that can destroy harvests, resulting in continued shortages and long-term price increases. In March, the UK experienced an all-time high of 19% in annual food price inflation, the second highest among G7 countries. Patrick Watt, the CEO of Christian Aid, emphasized that the UK cannot escape the consequences of climate change and called for action to help vulnerable communities adapt to these environmental changes.
Alexander Carnwath from the Fairtrade Foundation highlighted the impact on smallholder farmers in low-income countries. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging and addressing the needs of these farmers who produce the food consumed in the UK.
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