The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) launched a new inquiry considering how environmental changes are likely to impact future food security.

The Committee’s inquiry will examine the UK’s preparedness and resilience to future food supply stresses or shocks caused by climate change and other environmental changes. Several environmental factors threaten the stability and long-term sustainability of global food production: climate change, biodiversity loss caused by agricultural land expansion, and overexploitation of natural capital resources, including fish stocks and water resources.

Water security is inextricably tied to food security and the Committee may wish to consider broadening the inquiry – or building on it at a later date – to include water security. Water scarcity is likely to be a major issue in summer 2023 as there are fears that reservoirs may not be fully replenished.

Climate change is one of the biggest long-term threats to global and UK food security.  Agriculture around the world is vulnerable to changes in temperature and rainfall, shifting pests and diseases, and extreme weather events. The IPCC sixth assessment report (AR6) published in March 2022, warned that climate change will increasingly put pressure on food production and access to food, especially in vulnerable regions, undermining food security and nutrition

The Committee would welcome submissions to its inquiry which address any or all of the terms of reference. Submissions should be made through the Committee’s evidence portal, to be received by 5.00 pm on Thursday 15 December 2022.

To find out more, or how to respond, please click here.