17 Aug 2023 --- Climate change could threaten healthy diets in the UK as European droughts reduce the availability of Mediterranean fresh produce. In a new report, the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) warns that food shortages and price rises are on the horizon, with the country importing a quarter of its food – mostly fruit and vegetables – from this region. According to the World Meteorological Organization, Europe is warming twice as fast as other continents. Nations in southern Europe and northern Africa have experienced some of the worst heat extremes on record in recent years, leading to drought, wildfires and subsequent flooding that destroys crops.
