UN FAO–WMO Report Warns Extreme Heat Is Undermining Global Food Systems

Overview

• The joint FAO–WMO analysis, released Wednesday, says extreme land and ocean heat is already cutting yields and could make outdoor farm work unsafe for up to 250 days a year in the hottest regions.
• Scientists set clear stress thresholds, with most major crops losing output above about 30°C and common livestock showing heat strain from around 25°C, and they note that extreme heat multiplies drought, pest outbreaks, and fire risk.
• The report documents measured losses, including soybean yields falling up to 20% where temperatures stayed 5–10°C above normal and a 25% drop in cereals after a 2025 heat shock in Kyrgyzstan’s Ferganá range.
• Marine heatwaves are depleting oxygen and killing fish, and in 2024 about 91% of the global ocean experienced at least one such event.
• The UN urges quick steps such as heat‑tolerant crops, shifted planting, shade, efficient irrigation, early warnings, and better farm finance, yet experts say only deep emissions cuts can keep heat within what farms can handle.