Australia is ‘unprepared,’ according to a new assessment, for a looming food catastrophe brought on by both the war in Ukraine and global warming.
According to the research, Australia and the Asia-Pacific area are in “disaster alley” due to climate change, and the government is “ill-prepared” for the emergency.
According to the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, crop output would decrease by 2040 and the availability of fresh water will be jeopardized.
The grim predictions have prompted former military leaders to urge Australia to prepare for ‘big consequences’ to the food supply.
According to the paper, Australia would experience “enormous repercussions” as a result of intense heatwaves and sea level rise.
It issues a warning that climate change will have an effect on the nation’s supply system, heighten geopolitical tensions, and raise the demand for disaster aid.
Chris Barrie, a former commander of the Australian defense force, predicted that hostilities will escalate as a result of interruptions to the food supply brought on by a number of circumstances.
According to Mr. Barrie, “Food insecurity is a developing concern that has been brought to light by the invasion of Ukraine, and it is a situation for which Australia is ill-prepared.”
As farmers on Australia’s east coast struggle with significant flooding and an extremely chilly start to the season, global warming also poses a danger to the country’s agricultural systems.
According to the paper, there would be “huge strain” on the Australian defense force and disaster assistance organizations if there is no global response to climate change.
Australian households have been cautioned that the frequency of catastrophic weather occurrences, like the east coast floods, may have unpredictably negative effects on food supply.
By the end of the year, customers should anticipate seeing more bare shelves at their neighborhood supermarket and similar or possibly higher costs.
As Australia’s cost of living crisis continues, fresh food prices have come under the spotlight after rising above the rate of inflation.
The cost of an iceberg lettuce has skyrocketed to $12 in some east coast supermarkets after an unseasonably cold start to the season and floods.
The latest CPI figures showed the cost of fruits and vegetables grew by 6.7 per cent in the March quarter compared to a year ago, with the rate of inflation at 5.1 per cent.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned the inflation rate will be ‘certainly higher’ than the 5.1 per cent rate in the March quarter and will get worse.
Speaking on ABC show Insiders on Sunday, he said: ‘Inflation will be significantly higher than what was expected in the last government’s most recent Budget.
‘Certainly higher than the 5.1 per cent we saw in the March quarter.’
He added: ‘This inflation problem will get more difficult before it starts to ease.’
Most developed nations are battling high inflation largely due to supply chain disruptions, the large amount of money printed during the Covid pandemic and high energy prices due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said climate change will be a key theme of the upcoming federal budget due to be handed down in October.
Mr Albanese has pledged to launch a climate security threat assessment to examine how climate change will impact food, water and supply chains.