Food Systems & Nutrition

The Issue

Agriculture, nutrition and food security, and climate change are deeply interlinked. Changes to the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere can have a drastic effect on the production of crops and livestock. Severe heat and drought can shorten the growing season and deplete underground water making agriculture unsustainable. A combination of warmer temperatures and runoff from fertilizers can also affect aquatic life, which is a staple food supply in many cultures. Furthermore, agricultural production is an enormous contributor to greenhouse gases worldwide. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture, forestry and other land use changes are responsible for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions globally, and agriculture accounts for 10% of emissions in the U.S. This fraction may grow as populations around the world transition from a plant-based diet toward a diet heavier in animal products. Mitigating climate change while also enabling adequate food security and nutrition for all people around the world will require innovative approaches that consider the many interconnections between climate, agriculture and health.

Our Experts

Susan Anenberg
Director, Climate & Health Institute
Professor and Chair of Environmental and Occupational Health 
GW Milken Institute School for Public Health

Rachel Clark
Policy Director, Summer M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health

Bill Dietz
Director of Research and Policy, Global Food Institute 
Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health

Lisa Palmer
Senior Editor & Education Lead, Planet Forward
Research Professor of Science Communication
GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

Jennifer Rioux
Director of Planetary Health Initiatives, GW Center for Integrative Medicine 
Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership
GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Emily Smith
Associate Professor of Global Health and of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health