Food For Thought?

The link between global heating and food prices is clearly illustrated in a recent CarbonBrief (https://www.carbonbrief.org/five-charts-how-climate-change-is-driving-up-food-prices-around-the-world/#:~:text=The%20heat%20impacted%20the%20cost,with%20the%202C%20warming%20target.%E2%80%9D). This brief, notes that, although European food inflation generally hovers between 0.43 and 0.93%, in parts of 2022 and 2023, rates peaked by as much as 19%. It predicts that the extra levels of heating, projected to hit Europe by 2035, will amplify food costs by 30-50%. Globally, the masses are feeling the effects of rising food and energy prices. In some cases, this has resulted in their sometimes electing climate-denying political 'strongmen'. James Meadway points out reasons why this appears to have happened in the recent US elections, when the economy was supposedly 'healthy'. Meadway notes that inflation figures are based on a 'basket of goods' for the 'average' household. This doesn't, of course, capture the very wide variations between households. The basket includes items like emissions-boosting air travel abroad. Twenty-seven percent of US citizens have never been to a foreign country. Costs of air flights don't change their lives. The 'basket' also includes, the now cheaper, purchase of a flat screen TV. How frequently, Meadway asks, does the 'average' holdhold purchase a new TV? Everyone, however, has to buy food. The rising food and energy prices, impact most heavily on the poorest folk. Meadway also opines that central banks changing the interest rates to 'combat' inflation only make things worse. It worsens the lives of marginal folk, without stimulating food production (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/13/grocery-prices-donald-trump-climate-crisis-olive-oil-butter-extreme-weather-cost-of-living). Meadway also notes that, between 2020 and 2022, 62 new 'food billionaires' were created. He thinks their excessive profits should be taxed. Meadway also believes that governments must subsidise the costs of basic foods for their poorer populations. Those governments certainly need to get an urgent 'handle' on minimising climate change! Otherwise, food cost inflation is only going to get worse.