How climate breakdown is putting the world’s food in peril – in maps and charts

Experts have warned that the world’s ability to feed itself is under threat from the “chaos” of extreme weather caused by climate change.

Crop yields have increased enormously over the past few decades. But early warning signs have arrived as crop yield rates flatline, prompting warnings of efficiency hitting its limits and the impacts of climate change taking effect…

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The relationship between climate and food security is complex. Not all crops are used for food, and phenomena such as El Niño can complicate longer-term trends. However, the relationship between extreme weather events and low harvests is clear.

Maize, the world’s most produced crop, stands to be hit especially hard. Yield by the end of the century is projected to drop by 6% in a low-warming scenario, and as much as 24% in extreme scenarios.

Andrew Hultgren, an assistant professor of agricultural and consumer economics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said: “Climate change and weather extremes will drive down global caloric yields by about 24% under high future emissions.

“This would result in higher food prices, which in rich countries would feel like inflation. In poor countries, this would exacerbate food security problems and could negatively affect political stability.”