CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SAFETY

The document argues that climate change threatens public health by increasing the risks of food- and water-borne illnesses, which in turn exacerbates malnutrition, particularly in children. It highlights the role of rising temperatures and extreme rainfall in promoting the growth of pathogens like Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Vibrio cholerae, as well as the expansion of cyanobacterial algal blooms. The text emphasizes that these risks create a cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition, especially for the most vulnerable populations who may turn to unsafe food sources during climate-induced scarcity. It calls for health professionals to advocate for strong global climate agreements and to integrate food safety risks into national climate adaptation plans.

• Climate change increases the risk of food- and water-borne diseases by altering temperature and rainfall, which affects the growth, survival, transmission, and virulence of pathogens, as well as the habitats of zoonotic host species.
• Specific pathogens show clear links to climate variables: Salmonella and Campylobacter cases increase with warmer temperatures, while Vibrio cholerae (cholera) incidence has a strong positive relationship with temperature in endemic countries.
• Climate change acts as a catalyst for the global expansion of harmful cyanobacterial algal blooms, driven by higher water temperatures, reduced vertical mixing, and increased extreme weather events like droughts, storms, and floods.
• There is a projected increase in malnutrition due to climate change, with an estimated 25 million additional children affected by 2050; this is driven both by direct impacts on food production and indirectly through a cycle of unsafe food and diarrheal disease.
• Climate-induced food scarcity may lead vulnerable populations to consume unsafe foods, such as bush-meat, or result in inadequate cooking due to the loss of fuel infrastructure from flooding or wildfires.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (2015). CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SAFETY. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Climate-Food-Safety-Briefing.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SAFETY. 2015. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Climate-Food-Safety-Briefing.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SAFETY |date=2015 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Climate-Food-Safety-Briefing.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalclimateandhealthalliance2015climate, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SAFETY}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2015}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Climate-Food-Safety-Briefing.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }