Sir, – Every day Concern Worldwide staff witness the dramatic and existential threat posed by climate change as highlighted by Tom Arnold in The Irish Times (“Global food systems: we have reached another turning point, requiring a new level of political commitment and policy direction”, Climate Crisis, November 9th).
Those most vulnerable are also most impacted by climate change: pastoralists in Kenya after suffering five seasons without rain, losing their livestock and totally dependant on aid to simply survive, seeing no future in restocking their goats and sheep when a season of rain returns; fisherman in Chad abandoning their boats as the fish no longer survive in the lakes; farmers in Bangladesh unable to grow food as the soil becomes saline from sea levels rising.
Each of these communities need hope and support: hope that action is being taken to halt the progress of climate change and support in terms of funding, research and inputs needed to enable them adapt to the new realities created by climate change.
As Tom Arnold points out, the challenge facing the world is to secure the political will and develop the policy framework to produce enough food to feed a global population of 9.5 billion in 2050 (compared to the current 7.8 billion) while restricting the increase in global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
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It is vital that countries commit to expedite the integration of food systems and agriculture into their climate action programmes and embed climate action into the policies pertaining to agriculture and food systems. COP28 is the opportunity to do this.
Ireland must show leadership and some courage in acknowledging the serious policy trade-offs required.
Actions are what set us apart, not promises. Investing in research and support to produce more food by adapting to climate changes and consuming it locally is needed, both in Ireland and in developing countries. – Yours, etc,
DAVID REGAN,
Chief Executive,
Concern Worldwide,
Dublin 2.
