In a Changing Climate Extreme Weather Events Could Raise Food Costs, Warns UN

As world population rises and large countries like China and India become more prosperous the demand for food will increase. Rising oil prices will also drive up the cost of production. Both of these effects will tend to increase food prices. In addition the UN warned last year that extreme weather in the US and elsewhere could also be an important factor tending to raise food prices.

If we do not take climate change seriously then food supplies and food affordability could become big issues. Now is not the time for the Tories and UKIP to be pushing for cuts to green energy investment - nor will it ever be!

Last year, apart from Chile, Bulgaria, N Europe, Japan and the Anglo-Saxon nations, all other countries were "in risk if hunger or unrest". On the list of the worst 10 - at "extreme risk" - were DR Congo and Somalia as joint worst.

The normal human response is to want to help the unfortunate, but self-interest also points in the same direction. When we remember that Somalia seems to be trying to solve its problems through piracy, kidnap and proxy terrorism - and that Afghanistan is also in the "top ten worst" - then we can see that it would be folly as well as cruelty to reduce our efforts to limit damaging climate change.

The energy and utility companies are currently pressurising the government to reduce the green investment subsidy element of fuel charges. They are thinking only of their owners and shareholders.

We must take a longer view - and think of the world our children and grandchildren will have to live in.