Extreme heat threatens livelihoods, global food systems, warns UN
The UN's food and weather agencies warn that extreme heat is threatening global food systems and the livelihoods of over a billion people. The report calls for coordinated action to curb climate change to mitigate the growing threat of extreme heat.
Extreme heat is pushing global agrifood systems to the brink, threatening the livelihoods and health of over a billion people. Recent climate datasets show global warming is accelerating, with 2025 among the three hottest years on record. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged, damaging crops, livestock, fisheries, and forests. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and World Meteorological Organization report that yields for most major crops fall once temperatures exceed 30°C. Every 1°C rise in global temperatures cuts yields of major crops by about 6%. The agencies call for better risk governance and early-warning systems to help farmers and fishers take preventive action, but stress that adaptation alone is not enough to mitigate the threat of extreme heat.
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