Extreme weather conditions due to global climate change are causing price spikes for food worldwide, according to a study by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. The price of olive oil in Europe rose by 50% last year following prolonged droughts in southern Spain in 2022 and 2023.
Various countries around the world have also recorded increases in food prices resulting from extreme weather events. For example, in India, onion prices soared by 89%, in Korea by 70%, and in Japan by 48%. The study indicates that such price spikes often occurred several months after weather disasters, and this trend may spread in the future with climate change.
«Many weather events that caused these price spikes have been absolutely unprecedented historically,» said Maximilian Kots from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center.
Market speculation and poor policy also exacerbate the price increase effects associated with climate change. According to the study, these price spikes spread from individual regions through international trade. The report also notes that this can lead to a reduction in the consumption of nutritious foods in poor households.
«The consumption of fruits and vegetables, in particular, has been «very vulnerable to rising food prices,» said one researcher.
Climate-related disasters lead to sharp increases in food prices in various countries around the world. This may create challenges for the accessibility of nutritious foods for poor households, which is becoming increasingly relevant due to the global uptick in weather events.