Climate Change Will Force More People Into Food Poverty, Says Chartered Institute Of Environmental Health

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 20 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The adverse effects of climate change will hit the UK hard with increasing food prices pushing more people into food poverty, delegates will be told at a conference on climate change and health organised by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

The conference entitled An Unhealthy Climate - a call for action and changing behaviour will take place on 20 November at the CIEH's London headquarters. BBC TV and Radio presenter, Charlotte Smith (Farming Today and Countryfile) will chair the event.

Commenting, Jenny Morris, CIEH Principal Policy Officer, said:

"Climate change will reduce the ability of the food supply system to cope with normal demands.

"A combination of adverse weather conditions (for example more droughts), increased demand and use of bio-fuels, a growing world population, a trend for western style diets will put intense pressure on the world's agricultural resources and production and have an upward effect on prices.

"The effects will be felt inequitably, with the poorest in society suffering most. While the UK is unlikely to suffer severe food shortages, self sufficiency in food production will become more important as a large reliance on imported food products will create vulnerability and is likely to increase food poverty."

While the media and government have tended to focus on the physical impacts of climate change like flooding, droughts and melting ice caps, this event will bring together a wide array of speakers to address major issues facing public health practitioners like securing a safe food supply and combating the threat of pest borne disease.

Charlotte Smith will be joined by an eminent panel of key speakers including:

- Professor Tim Lang, City University, one of the UK's foremost experts on food policy and safety issues, who will be talking about future food safety and security issues
- Justin McCracken, Chief Executive of the Health Protection Agency
- Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair of the Food Standards Agency
- David Pencheon, Director of the NHS Sustainable Development Unit
- Paul Bettison, Chairman of the Local Government Association Environment Board
- Paul Kelly, Director of Corporate Affairs at ASDA

For more information on the conference please visit here.

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) is the professional voice for environmental health. It ensures the highest standards of professional competence in its members, in the belief that through environmental health action people's health can be improved. The CIEH represents over 10,000 members working in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health