Cambiamenti climatici

A food and water war could break out in Europe. The scary scenario

Could a food crisis and a water war break out in Europe? The scenarios are extreme, but no longer considered impossible.
Water scarcity risks sparking conflict between European Union countries unprepared for a warming world, the European executive warns according to a leaked document obtained by Politico.eu.
Furthermore, the food sector is continually subjected to the pressures of climate change which are already impacting the production yield of important agricultural raw materials.
The harmful effects of these changes could reach Europe very soon, even if so far the old continent has shown that it enjoys solid food security.
Fears of upheavals are growing more and more every day and someone in Brussels has indulged in apocalyptic hypotheses: “Food shortage in Europe? The only question is when, but they don't listen." Last month, about 60 European Union and government officials, food safety experts, industry representatives and some journalists gathered to address the possibility of a full-blown food crisis among European countries.
There is an urgent need to act to avoid the worst even in the less vulnerable areas of the world: a food and water war could really affect everyone, even Europe.
read also Climate disasters, the economic alarm is $200 billion per year.
How much is Italy at risk? Water is a problem for Europe.
Could it be a water crisis? In a statement from the European Commission seen by journalists from Politico.eu, EU governments are implored to speed up their preparations to combat climate change.
The warning sounds dramatic and urgent and is probably intended to urge governments not to downplay the EU's major climate initiative ahead of elections in June across the bloc.
In an undated draft of the text, the Commission reportedly identifies water scarcity as a problem that threatens almost every aspect of life: the food we eat, the water we drink and the infrastructure that powers economic activity.
“These risks may manifest themselves in multiple forms, some of which include… increased competition over water resources across all sectors and uses, including the potential risk of conflicts within and between Member States over transboundary water resources,” the draft states .
Some regions are already fighting over supplies.
In Spain, drought-hit Catalonia is trying to convince Spain's central government to divert river water from neighboring Aragon, fueling political tensions.
Last year there were violent clashes in France over water tower projects.
The Commission's letter will accompany the first European climate risk assessment, a comprehensive report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) which will be published on Monday 11 March.
The increase in water-related extreme events, such as floods and droughts, is just one of the climate threats Europe faces.
The EEA assessment “identified 36 key risks for Europe, many of them already at catastrophic levels and of high urgency,” the Commission document says, without providing further details.
read also Economic and financial collapse coming.
The alarm of those who predicted the 2008 crisis.
As regards specific water threats, the Commission also estimates that the EU could face 1,600 billion euros in annual damage resulting from coastal flooding.
Since 1980, droughts and floods have cost Europe around 9 billion and 170 billion euros per year respectively.
The Food War Will Erupt in Europe The combined forces of El Niño and La Niña have crippled soybean production in Latin America.
Ukrainian and Russian grain farmers went to war.
Indonesia has banned palm oil shipments to Europe, while China is starving for crops.
The Mediterranean region is becoming more and more desert-like.
In this context of undeniable and alarming changes, even rich Europe is no longer safe when it comes to food supplies.
For this reason, in Brussels we are starting to talk about it seriously.
Over the span of four years, multiple shocks have shaken the way food is grown, distributed and consumed.
The pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and disruptions on key shipping routes have hit supply chains and pushed up prices.
Erratic and extreme weather now regularly impacts agriculture.
Officials no longer wonder when a food crisis might arrive, but rather how many crises they can face at once.
read also What do the latest data on wheat harvests tell us? Apparently Europe is in an enviable position.
It is one of the world's largest suppliers of food products, from grains and dairy products to pork and olive oil, with some of the lowest levels of food insecurity.
On average, only 14% of household spending went on food in 2021, compared to around 60% in Nigeria and 40% in Egypt.
The Global Food Security Index regularly ranks European countries as the safest in the world.
However, there are vulnerabilities.
Weather and climate events regularly affect farmers, costing Europe more than €50 billion in economic losses in 2022.
The cost of fertilizers and energy needed to grow crops and keep greenhouses running has soared in the aftermath to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The scenario could worsen in 2025.
Precisely in Europe.
On the other hand, the tractors are already marching with protests that point to flaws in the European agricultural system.

Author: Hermes A.I.

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