We are only beginning to see what rising temperatures mean for our food system. One thing is clear, WRAP’s director of food system transformation, unless we act now, our ability to feed ourselves affordably and sustainably will come under increasing pressure.
The extreme temperatures this summer are a warning of what is to come as our climate changes: hotter summers, more frequent flooding and drought and increasingly unpredictable growing conditions. The Met Office recently said that temperatures once considered “extreme” are becoming “the new normal”, with the hottest day of the year now more than 4.5C warmer in parts of south-east England than between 1961 and 1990.
The good news is that one of the most effective solutions is already hiding in plain sight. Better management of the food we already produce, particularly preventing food waste, can make our food system more resilient while reducing emissions, saving money and helping safeguard food supplies in a changing climate.
Climate change is already affecting every stage of the food system. In July, retail fridges across the UK, designed to operate at temperatures up to 32oC, struggled as thermometers climbed into the high thirties, resulting in food waste and disruption – while the ecosystems supplying those fridges showed even clearer signs of stress.
Last year, England experienced its second-worst harvest on record following drought conditions in 2025. Blackberries are ripening a month early. Apple growers are spraying orchards to protect fruit from sunburn. And waters around the UK are now experiencing an extreme marine heatwave that threatens marine species, while milk production is falling and farmers report yields below normal levels.
Taken individually, these may appear to be isolated incidents. Together, they reveal a food system increasingly exposed to climate-related disruption, from farm to fork – and the consequences stretch far beyond individual crops or farms. The UK Government’s new long-term farming strategy warns that climate change is increasing the risk of food price volatility and shortages, as climate-related disruptions combine with geopolitical instability and supply-chain pressures.
This is not simply about crop losses: it includes reduced forage yields and heat stress for livestock, growing risks to food manufacturers and distributors, and higher import costs for commodities such as coffee, cereals and beef – particular concerns for a country that imports around 38% of its food.
Making better use of what we produce
Even with these stresses, global agriculture still produces more than enough food to feed everyone, with around 3,000 calories available per person per day according to FAO food balance sheet data. The challenge then is not to produce even more food to compensate for the results of climate disruption. It is ensuring that the food we already produce is used as effectively as possible.
Food waste is often viewed as a waste-management problem. In reality, reducing it is one of the biggest opportunities to strengthen food security, reduce emissions and improve economic resilience.
Were food waste a country, it would be the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the United States and China – generating more emissions than global aviation. Yet when we discuss reducing our carbon footprints, we often talk about flying less, driving less or consuming less. Rarely do we talk about wasting less food.
Reducing food waste directly strengthens resilience: every tonne of food that reaches a plate rather than a bin eases pressure on agricultural systems already struggling with climate impacts, and as harvests grow less predictable, better use of what we produce will only matter more.
