The United Nations has warned that climate change is a major threat to food security and has called for a shift from industrial agriculture to agroecology. In a press release on Monday, Hilal Elver, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, said that increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather, rising temperatures and sea levels, as well as floods and droughts will threaten food security: “All these climate incidents will negatively impact on crops, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and on people’s livelihoods,” she added. The food expert predicts that the negative impact from climate change on agriculture could subject another 600 million people to malnutrition by 2080. “Those who have contributed the least to global warming are the ones set to suffer the most from its harmful effects,” stressed Ms. Elver. “Urgent action is needed to respond to the challenges posed by climate change,” she added, “but mitigation and adaptation policies should respect the right to food as well as other fundamental human rights.” According to Hilal Elver, responding to the food demand through large-scale production oriented agricultural models is not the right solution. She underlined the “need for a major shift from industrial agriculture to transformative systems such as agro-ecology that support the local food movement, protect small holder farmers, respect human rights, food democracy and cultural traditions, and at the same time maintain environmental sustainability and facilitate a healthy diet.” Her statement comes four weeks ahead of the UN climate change conference COP 21 which will take place in Paris from 30 November to 11 December. The aim of the summit is to achieve a universally applicable legal instrument under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Elver stressed that any agreement must include a clear commitment by all relevant parties to ensuring climate justice and food security for all. In a recent report, presented to the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee in October, the Special Rapporteur also outlined the adverse impact of climate change on the right to food. (ab)