The Microbiologist, 13 March 2025

Food systems, climate change, and air pollution: Unveiling the interactions and solutions

A recent review published in Engineering delves into the complex relationships among food systems, climate change, and air pollution, highlighting the need for sustainable strategies to address these interconnected global challenges.

Climate change and air pollution pose significant threats to food systems. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events, driven by climate change, disrupt agricultural production. For example, higher temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have altered crop growth cycles, caused yield fluctuations, and increased uncertainty in food supply. Meanwhile, air pollution, particularly ozone pollution, damages crop leaves, and reduces agricultural productivity. These factors not only affect food supply but also impact food security and nutrition worldwide.