Climate Change and Food Security
Sanath Ranawana
Senior Natural Resources Specialist
ADB
Understanding food security
Food
availability
Food
use
Food
access
Definition:
Food security is achieved “when all
people, at all times, have physical
and economic access to sufficient,
safe and nutritious food to meet
their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and
healthy life.” (FAO)
Climate change affects all dimensions of sustainable
food security
…adapting to climate
change is expensive…
•
The World Bank‘s estimated
the costs of USD 70-100 billion
a year between 2010 and 2050
for developing countries to
adapt to a world
approximately 2 degrees
Celsius (oC) warmer.
•
As for Asia and the Pacific
alone, the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) estimated that the
costs of adaptation for
developing countries in the
region will be USD 40 billion
annually to 2020.
Projected climate change impacts on rice production in Asia
(Irrigated Rice)
Loss of calorific intake due to climate change
Source: IFPRI
Why should climate change and food security
issues concern the Judiciary?
• Justice consideration: worst impacts are felt by
those who contributed
least to causing the
problem
• Equity consideration losses and shocks mostly
affects the poor and
socially marginalized
• Social consideration Climate induced
migration, social unrest
Potential Role of Judiciary
• Promote rights of the poor and marginalized to
productive resources such as water, land, credit,
agricultural technology etc.
• Advocate for global climate financing to reach
developing countries
• Ensure appropriate beneficiary targeting in food
security related laws, food rationing and social
safety net programs etc.
Thank you!
sranawana@adb.org