Climate Change

Climate change over the next century may have significant effects on food supply, as well as food security. To a large extent the weather - temperature and water availability - determines people's ability to grow enough to feed themselves and their animals. Climate variability and climate change can cause short or long-term fluctuations in weather patterns and can have extreme impacts on agricultural production. Any significant change in climate on a global scale is likely to affect local agriculture and so affect the world's food supply. Climate, therefore, has a direct impact on food security.

Scientists, researchers and policy makers have been studying questions of how farming might be affected in different regions, and by how much; and whether the net result may be harmful or beneficial, and to whom. One big question in terms of food security is: How might climate change alter the ability of the world's growing population to gain access to food? The vulnerability of households, regions and countries to climate change's impacts on agriculture depends on access to land, water, and government support and action to enable poor people to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Climate Change and Development IDS Bulletin
35(3). 2004 PDF

Political Economy of Bali Climate Conference: A Roadmap of Climate Commercialization. A Policy Discussion Paper on the Key Elements of UNFCCC Climate Change Negotiation, Bali, Indonesia, December 2007. Participatory Research and Development Initiative. PDF