Food prices are rising due to climate change. Global study finds

Experts noted that extreme weather conditions had a particularly dramatic impact on Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, which account for nearly 60% of global cocoa production. A heatwave in early 2024—during which temperatures rose by as much as 4 degrees Celsius due to climate change —led to a 280% price increase for cocoa in April 2024.

Climate Change and Store Prices: A New Study

The study's authors emphasize that healthy food is already much more expensive, and price increases could cause poorer households to further reduce their fruit and vegetable consumption. As the report points out, this could lead to a "domino effect"—resulting in increased incidences of malnutrition, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Extreme weather conditions, by driving up food prices, could also increase overall inflation, which in turn risks political and social unrest.

"Until we achieve net-zero emissions, extreme weather events will continue to intensify – and they are already damaging crops and driving up food prices worldwide," Maximillian Kotz, the study's author, points out in a press release. "People are noticing this – rising food prices are the second most common impact of climate change they see in their lives, after the heat itself," he adds.

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The study's findings have generated considerable interest in the scientific community. Professor Tim Benton, an ecologist from the University of Leeds who was not part of the research team, notes that "supply shortages inevitably impact markets, pushing up prices for consumers." "Unfortunately, the situation is worsening in an increasingly tense and conflict-ridden world, where international trade is already under pressure," he emphasizes. "Looking to the future, we increasingly face a world where instability will become the norm, leading to a permanent cost of living crisis. The longer we delay decisive action on climate change, the more severe the consequences will be felt," he adds.

The study's publication coincides with preparations for the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake, which will take place on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. World leaders will discuss, among other things, threats to the global food system amid the growing impact of climate change.