The biggest threat from Climate Change is not a gradual rise in sea levels. What will come first and hit us everywhere is the abrupt collapse of our food systems and the health problems, poverty and social instability this will cause across the world. Our relationship with food defined the rise of all human civilizations and the collapse of many. We cannot let this happen again.
Agriculture allowed for the first permanent settlements, with agricultural improvements feeding ever-growing communities. The Industrial Revolution was all about doing more with less, with cheaper products encouraging more consumption for many. But not for everyone. For those who don't, a vicious cycle remains in which food insecurity results in and contributes to successive eras of poverty and violence.
Now that insecurity is spreading. The COVID-19 pandemic has abruptly proven the fragility of our food supply, as the quest for economies of scale through globalization and the emergence of more efficient monocultures has left us vulnerable to disruption. Mile-long queues for food banks everywhere from the US to the Netherlands reinforce that this is not just a problem for the most vulnerable regions. It's a universal problem, with the number of people going hungry estimated to have doubled by 2020. And the impact of the extreme weather events that we see more and more happening will impact us everywhere, no matter where we live. It is still possible, through bold action, to do something to avert this impending disaster, but this requires a radical transformation; not just produce more food in a sustainable way, but also food best.
First, we need to ensure that those who grow our food are better off adopting sustainable production methods. They are the heroes of our future and they need to earn a decent living for that. Without them as protagonists, we cannot face the problems that undermine our capacity to produce food, such as the destruction of the soil surface, the scarcity of fresh water and the loss of biodiversity. Current agricultural practices are responsible for the most greenhouse gas emissions, after the energy sector. But advances in our understanding of nature and microbes are bringing new solutions that are ready once approved by regulators. However, farmers cannot do this alone.
We must also stop wasting 30% from all the food we produce. In no other industry would that be acceptable. This requires all of us, from businesses and governments to consumers, to take responsibility and make changes.
We also need to stop eating badly. Good nutrition is crucial to a healthy population, and the COVID-19 crisis has proven that too. But now we are divided between those who overconsume food with no nutritional value, hence the rise of diseases like diabetes, and those simply deprived of enough food who suffer from hunger and malnutrition. At some point, we lost that connection between nutrition and health. Doctors, for example, study for years, but usually devote only a day or two to their nutrition. The solution: a mindset shift from 'it's just calories' to 'real nutrition', and it's possible.
So, in short, we need radical changes in how we produce food and what we consume. The debate around Climate Change took 20 to 30 years to gain momentum. When it comes to our food systems, we don't have this time, as it is already an existential threat today. But it is possible. We just need bold action now.
By Geraldine Marchett
Co-CEO and Member of the Board of Directors of DSM
