Climate Change’s Impact on Food and Nutrition Security: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Climate change profoundly impacts food and nutrition security (FNS) by affecting food availability, access, utilization, and stability. This study provides an overview of systematic reviews to explore the multifaceted effects of climate change on FNS, with a secondary focus on identifying the most vulnerable populations and regions. This overview of systematic reviews was guided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) conceptual framework on climate change and food security and conducted in accordance with Cochrane methodology for overviews of reviews. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus and Web of science up to August 31, 2024, identifying 66 systematic reviews, including 24 meta-analyses. The methodological quality of the included reviews was assessed using the AMSTAR-2 tool. The analysis revealed that climate change disrupts food availability through declining crop and livestock productivity, reduces access by decreasing income and increasing food prices, compromises utilization through reduced nutritional quality and increased foodborne illnesses, and destabilizes food systems via human conflicts, migration, and soil degradation. Vulnerable groups, such as women, children, and marginalized populations in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Arctic, face disproportionate risks. While the impacts vary across regions, recurring themes include extreme weather events (38 reviews), rising temperatures (39), and changes in weather patterns (25), all of which exacerbate FNS challenges. These findings underscore the urgency of implementing integrated, climate-resilient agricultural practices, strengthening equitable food systems, and developing targeted policies to protect at-risk populations and mitigate the effects of climate change. Future research should prioritize a holistic approach to support sustainable solutions for global food and nutrition security.

Key messages

• Climate change undermines all dimensions of food and nutrition security, affecting availability, access, utilization, and stability.

• Climate-resilient, equitable food systems are urgently needed to protect vulnerable populations and support global health.