Introduction
Sustainable development goals (SDGs), also known as the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, developed in 2015, are a collection of seventeen interlinked targets meant as a blueprint for peace and prosperity for the people and the planet. The SDGs aim to develop healthy societies to enhance collective well-being. The key focus of the agenda is the elimination of hunger, poverty, ignorance, and inequality while enabling the improvement of access to healthcare, education, and climate consciousness. To attain these goals, some countries have incorporated these SDGs into their national policies and are actively pursuing measures to achieve the objectives. One of the most critical objectives in the SDGs is Goal 13 on climate action. This is especially important considering the urgency to address climate emergency given the adverse impacts climate change has had on the global ecosystem.
The United Nations defines climate change as long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns with causes varying from natural, such as mega volcanic eruptions and solar flares, to man-made, such as the extraction and burning of fossil fuels in the atmosphere that impacts the atmospheric gas composition. The human contribution to the climate emergency can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution in the early 1800s when technological advances required large amounts of energy and thus led to the utilization of fossil fuels. This led to the continuous generation of significant greenhouse gas emissions, which led to an alarming increase in global temperature due to the blanketing effects of these gases. The main sources of GHG emissions are commercial and residential buildings at 30%, industry at 30% and transportation at 29%. Agriculture also contributes relatively significant amounts at 11%. The main forms of GHG gases emitted and their sources are 65% carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuel consumption and industries, 11% carbon dioxide emitted from forestry and other land use activities, 16% methane, 6% nitrous oxide and 2% fluoride gases.
Consequently, all these gases considerably alter the composition of the global atmospheric gases, thus affecting the atmospheric ability to regulate infrared radiation reaching the earth, contributing to global warming. Global warming subsequently affects the hydrosphere by increasing the rate of evaporation and increasing atmospheric moisture content, which aggravates the greenhouse effect, leading to more global warming. As an outcome, the cryosphere responds by melting, increasing the liquid water content of the seas, causing an ocean level rise that not only displaces the beach dwellers but also further exacerbates the evaporation, essentially creating a vicious cycle with an adverse impact on the global weather system.
Most of the global greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to a relatively small group of developed and developing countries, with the United States, China, and India accounting for approximately 42.6% of global emissions. On a per capita basis, oil-producing countries of the Middle East dominate the top ten emitters, with Qatar leading at 76.6 t, followed by Bahrain at 48.5t. In 2022, the United Kingdom’s estimated emissions stood at 331 million tonnes (Mt), a 2.7% reduction from the previous year and 48% lower than the emissions in 1990. This points to the possible effectiveness of measures to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.
Cognisant of the adversity of climate change and the potentially lethal impact on global lifeforms, the United Nations incorporated climate action as one of the Sustainable development goals (SDGs) to enable countries to align their economic and social activity with sustainability and environmental accountability in mind. The integrated approach towards climate action is meant to implement a collective strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 and to achieve net Zero by 2050, which would prevent the rise of global temperature beyond 1.5˚C by 2035 and rein on the rising global sea level to prevent catastrophic events such as excessive floodings and landslides, and permanent inundation of habitat for coastline communities and low-lying Islanders. A significant financial overlay amounting to over $6 trillion by 2030 is required to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change in developing countries. Furthermore, governments are expected to implement measures and institute projects that cater to the needs of climate consciousness and promote environmental protection.
Food security and climate change in the United Kingdom
Present Scenario and Mitigating Strategies
USAID defines food security as ‘always having the physical and economic access to sufficient food to satisfy the dietary requirements for a healthy and productive life (USAID, 2023). There are four dimensions of food security, namely: (1) physical availability, which addresses the supply side by evaluating levels of food production, stock levels and stock trade; (2) economic and physical access to food, which addresses the concerns of insufficiency of food access by engaging policy focus on income expenditure, market and prices to attain food security; (3) food utilization focusing on the biological process of utilization of nutrients in food as a result of food preparation, feeding practises, dietary diversity and intra-household food distribution; Finally, stability of the three dimension (The World Bank Group, 2023). In analyzing food security, it is important to evaluate the two types of food insecurity based on duration, namely, chronic food insecurity, which refers to long-term sustained inability to meet minimum dietary requirements due to insufficient financial resources. Intervention, in this case, requires long-term measures addressing the root cause(s), such as poverty and the provision of direct dietary support to increase their productive capacity. The second type of food insecurity is referred to as transitory food insecurity, which is short-term in nature and may rise as a result of sudden shocks in food availability and access, mainly due to disruption of cashflows (FAO, 2008). In the United Kingdom, the food situation in the country is currently secure. However, climate change and other factors pose a significant challenge to the status quo, with the country depending on a significant chunk of its food supply from external imports. As such, the necessary measures need to be implemented to mitigate and protect the country’s food stock from shocks expected due to the worsening global climate and the resulting food insecurity.
Measure to protect food security in the United Kingdom.
The UKFSR report of 2023 acknowledged the underlying threat to food security due to overdependence on natural capital – referring to natural weather- and emphasized the importance of understanding and adapting to sustainable food production. This, the report states, would likely protect the country’s long-term food security. One of the critical areas in sustainable farming is soil conservation (UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural, 2023). Soil conservation is critical in climate protection, considering that an estimated 10 billion tonnes of carbon is stored in the soil in the UK alone. According to the report, soil erosion, compaction and degradation led to a loss of productivity amounting to £1.2 billion per year, leading to potentially low production capacity. To improve productivity and prevent permanent damage, the government issued a ministerial report detailing measures meant to ensure sustainable soil use as part of the Vision 2030 blueprint. The ministerial report provided guidelines for the conservation and prevention of destruction of this critical resource (Soils Policy Team, 2009).
The second critical conservation area is the prevention of atmospheric pollution. UK Food Security report underscored the significance of greenhouse gas emissions on the UK’s food security, noting that due to climate change, wheat yields in 2018 were 7% lower than the 2016-2020 average and 17% lower in 2020. This resulted in an economic loss of approximately £185 million, a trend that is only projected to get worse if no concrete action is undertaken (UK Department for Environment Food & Rural, 2023). To safeguard the nation’s food security while simultaneously contributing to environmental production, the report recommends an integrated approach employing political, economic and social efforts to reduce the adversity of climate change on agriculture. Recommended measures include Sustainable farming, which utilizes less environmentally hazardous farming practises and farm inputs, improving national resilience to market shocks occasioned by shortages and rising costs of food products, exploring alternative carbon-neutral foodstuff whose impact on the environment is negligible and reducing wastage.
Where these measures should be undertaken
Considering the widespread nature of environmental degradation and the global interconnectedness of the weather system, the effectiveness of any climate mitigation measure will depend on the global efforts and unity of purpose of all stakeholders in implementing these measures uniformly in their geographical locations. Indeed, some measures, such as those aimed at improving the soil condition in the UK, are geographically limited to the country. However, the applicability and the nature of the mitigation measures should be applied across all nations experiencing similar conditions. This is critical even to the UK’s food security since, as the statistics report, the country imports almost half of its critical foodstuff from overseas.
Soil conservation measures will be limited to specific geographical regions that are most afflicted. This will be based on land surveys carried out by the National Monitoring Scheme between 1982-86, which identified 17 localities totalling 700 Km2 at risk of erosion and also provided the process, cause and impacts (Boardman, 2013). Once this is done, conservation strategies defined by the ministerial report on soil conservation will act as a blueprint for conservation measures across the similarly affected regions. Such measures include no tilling, wind-breakers, and bank stabilization, among others. The effectiveness of this measure will inform the applicability in other regions and even other countries where such measures may be beneficial.
Greenhouse emission is a global phenomenon requiring a global approach to tackling it. However, at a national level, the government can initiate measures designed to reduce local emissions through policy specification and investment in research and development in sustainability in the economy. The agricultural sector can lead the effort by reducing the use of harmful agricultural inputs that directly or indirectly contribute to GHG emissions. Chemicals such as fertilizers and some pesticides are often extracted from crude oil, which is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and, consequently, global warming. The agriculture sector in the UK should seek alternatives that are not only cleaner but also sustainable and cheaper, thereby saving costs while saving the environment. This will significantly manage the food security situation in the long run. Another area where these measures can be useful is land use. Forest cover is known to be efficient in reducing carbon emissions through carbon sequestration as well as through photosynthesis. Efforts to increase forest cover thus highly contribute to the reduction of GHG emissions and thus improve climate conditions (Pongratz et al., 2021).
When and how these actions should be undertaken
The timeline for responsive action on climate change is fast running out. Several scientists hold the consensus that, at present, we have less than ten years till climate change becomes irreversible and the catastrophic effects associated with it become permanent (Green, 2022). It is, therefore, important that corrective actions are undertaken as soon as possible. Regarding food security, the UK should take all necessary precautions to protect its food reserves, reduce its emissions, and instigate policies that encourage sustainable farming within the next three years before 2030 to prevent extreme effects. Civic education should be pursued to educate citizens on the importance of waste reduction, conservation and sustainable living.
Reasons for undertaking these measure
The necessity of these measures cannot be overstated. The main reason for the implementation of this measure is to prevent potential catastrophic failure in the climate system, whose cascading effect will be felt throughout the economy, potentially leading to the collapse of civilization and even the destruction of the human race. In the short run, however, these measures are meant to protect the natural environment where foodstuff is grown, thus protecting the country’s food basket and safeguarding the income streams of millions of British citizens and their dependents. Lastly, these measures are meant to protect natural resources for future generations at the highest productivity possible.
Future state idealization
At present, most of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals need to be on track to be attained within the timelines set by their drafters. The constant procrastination in the establishment of the operating policies has derailed the efforts to install basic systems on which the goals are implemented. According to FAO (2022), one of the key pillars for the achievement of the SDG is the establishment of a resilient agrifood system that can stand the current global adversity undermining food security and nutrition (FAO, 2022). The reports note 18 key socio-economic and environmental forces that interact and shape the various events happening in agrifood systems and thus influence the availability and cost-effectiveness of food production. These factors, poverty, geopolitical instability, scarcity, climate change and degradation of resources, determine the future of food security and thus should be effectively managed.
The most optimum future for food security from the perspective of climate change is one where agrifood systems are implemented with sustainability and future projections in mind. In this scenario, all stakeholders work in synergy to move this transformation by operating from their respective areas of responsibility. Consumers, as the holders of the market power, can force transformation by shifting demand towards more environmentally conscious consumption. Political leaders can implement policies and laws and offer subsidies and tax breaks that promote sustainability, environmental responsibility and sustainable nutrition, thus triggering a migration towards sustainable production. The producers can identify the potential advantages inherent in more environmentally conscious production, such as cost savings that thus migrate their activities towards such activities. However, it is important to acknowledge the hardship that lies in the implementation of such an ambitious transformation and, most importantly, the potentially difficult task of bringing all the players together to ensure the success of the shift. This will require protracted efforts where all players, particularly the consumers, understand the effect of inaction. Fortunately, there has been a growing movement among consumers who are concerned with the source of their food and, as such, can be recruited as early adopters and influencers.
In this scenario, a consumer-led effort is likely to trigger all players to action driven by the power of consumers – farmers and producers depend on the consumers for their markers, the political class depends on them as their voters, and they can influence other consumers into this movement. Crucially, another important player in this transition is technology in the form of media, both traditional and social. These represent a strong voice in influencing mindsets and forcing change. In essence, given the bleak projections being made on our planet’s future, the only option is one where present action results in a shift from the traditions.
Conclusion
Food security has become a central theme even in developed nations where traditionally, such a problem was not seen as Center-stage due to the adverse impacts of climate change. In acknowledging this, the United Nations (UN) formulated climate action as one of the SDGs to stimulate countries and policymakers into action in not only protecting the planet but also ensuring a safe, healthy and nutritious diet is available for all humanity. The United Kingdom has acknowledged and embraced measures meant to protect the food security of the country and protect the environment, too.
References
Boardman, J. (2013) ‘Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record’, Agriculture, 3(3), pp. 418–442. doi: 10.3390/agriculture3030418.
FAO (2008) ‘An Introduction to the Basic Concepts of Food Security I.’, Food Security Information for Action, pp. 215–230. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21812205%5Cnhttp://jn.nutrition.org/content/140/1/153S.abstract%5Cnhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-009-9455-4%5Cnhttp://www.fao.org/docrep/013/al936e/al936e00.pdf%5Cnwww.andes.info.ec/es/noticias/fao-ecuador-boli.
FAO (2022) The future of food and agriculture: Drivers and triggers for transformation, The future of food and agriculture: Drivers and triggers for transformation. doi: 10.4060/cc1024en.
Green, K. P. (2022) ‘Is the Climate Catastrophe Really 10 Years Away?’, Fraser Institute, (1), pp. 1–10.
Pongratz, J. et al. (2021) ‘Land Use Effects on Climate: Current State, Recent Progress, and Emerging Topics’, Current Climate Change Reports, 7(4), pp. 99–120. doi: 10.1007/s40641-021-00178-y.
Soils Policy Team (2009) ‘Safeguarding our Soils – A Strategy for England’, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs., pp. 1–48.
The World Bank Group (2023) What is Food Security?, worldbank.org. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-security-update/what-is-food-security.
UK Department for Environment Food & Rural (2023) United Kingdom Food Security Report 2021: Theme 2: UK Food Supply Sources. London. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021-theme-2-uk-food-supply-sources.
USAID (2023) Agriculture and Food Security, usaid.gov. Available at: https://www.usaid.gov/agriculture-and-food-security#:~:text=Food security means having%2C at, hunger or fear of hunger.
write