CLIMATE CRISIS DRIVING HUNGER WARNS WFP ON WORLD FOOD DAY
Yerevan – The world faces an exponential increase in hunger fuelled by the climate crisis if urgent global action to help communities adapt to climatic shocks and stresses is ignored, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned ahead of World Food Day.
“The climate crisis has the potential to overwhelm humanity. The world is not prepared for the unprecedented rise in hunger we will see if we do not invest in programs that help vulnerable communities adapt and build resilience to our changing climate,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. “The climate crisis is fuelling a food crisis.”
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Vulnerable communities, a vast majority of whom rely on agriculture, fishing, and livestock, who contribute the least to the climate crisis bear the brunt of the impacts with limited means to cushion the blow.
Armenia’s climate is changing in line with global trends and over the recent decades, it lost over USD 1.5 billion due to natural hazards like floods, earthquakes, drought, hail, spring frosts, and mudflows. The intense shocks create enormous challenges to national development and pose negative impacts on the livelihoods of people and the economy.
Recent Climate projections indicate that temperatures across the country may rise by 4.7ºC by 2100, combined with an 8.3% decline in average annual precipitation affecting natural systems, water resources, agriculture and food security, health, infrastructure, etc.
Recognizing the implications of climate change on various sectors and food security, the Government of the Republic of Armenia is taking actions to support climate change adaptation, while increasing emphasis on Climate Change related policies and programs.
“Climate change is not a shock waiting to happen – it’s here and happening now. Climate change affects the food systems including production, processing, and distribution. This leads to a decline in food availability pushing more people into food insecurity. We need to invest in food systems that are resilient to climate change, shocks, and crises,” said Jelena Milesovic, WFP Representative and Country Director in Armenia.
Building on this year’s theme for World Food Day, “Our actions are our future- Better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life,” WFP is calling on world leaders to recognise the close link between hunger and the climate crisis and is urging them to redouble their efforts to address the changing climate as focus shifts to the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26).
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
