Overview
- A report led by Anglia Ruskin University and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries warns the global food network is breaking under combined ecological damage, climate shocks and geopolitical turmoil.
- The authors highlight looming tipping points that threaten long-term supplies, including Amazon deforestation disrupting rain cycles, sharp declines in pollinators and stressed fish stocks.
- They note damage already felt in recent years, with degraded soils and water scarcity cutting yields, raising prices and reducing availability for shoppers.
- Geopolitical tensions now deepen the risk, with the report citing the US‑Israeli war on Iran and warning that shocks from the Gulf could hit food security harder than the 2022 energy crisis.
- The researchers call for urgent action from governments, regulators and finance to integrate nature into decisions, while the UK government says the food system is resilient and points to tech investment, climate‑tough crops and new reservoirs.