NewsSenator Kiko Pangilinan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The UN reported on Friday that the cost of key foods increased in July as a result of searing heatwaves and ongoing geopolitical instability, which have affected global energy prices amid persistent hunger risks in multiple countries
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Food Price Index (FPI) averaged 131.1 points in July 2026, representing an increase of one percent in the cost of a basket of staple foods compared to 2025, with millions of people experiencing hunger and food insecurity despite slight improvements in harvests. This situation is attributed to recurrent heatwaves, described as a global human rights emergency, the effects of El Niño on harvests, and growing uncertainty resulting from geopolitical tensions, which not only resulted in an oil crisis but also disrupted global supply chains.
The FAO added that increases in price indices included those of cereals, sugar, and vegetable oils, while price indices for meat and dairy products declined. The organisation detailed that the cereal price index surged by 3.4 percent from June, reversing the declines seen in 2025. Additionally, global wheat prices rose by 5.8 percent due to persistent disruptionsto Black Sea exports, which are linked to both heatwaves’ impacts on crop yields as well as the war between Ukraine and Russia
The FAO also noted the the vegetable oil price index reached its highest price since 2022, which is linked to demand from Indonesia’s biodiesel sector and higher crude oil prices
Furthermore, the UN highlighted that although some progress in reducing hunger levels has been seen in countries such as Malawi, nearly 1.9 million people still live in crisis levels of acute food insecurity, classified as Phase 3 under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
Finally, experts raised concerns about the future developments of global food prices given the existence of numerous factors that are expected to exacerbate the situation, including inflation, below-average staple production, and forecasts of El Niño during the 2026-2027 rainy season, which highlights the need for close global monitoring
Many nations worldwide, including Djibouti, Afghanistan, and Hondurasare experiencing food insecurity due to two main factors, which are armed conflicts and climate change, placing the lives of millions of people at risk, while concerns persist about growing environmental pollution and high risks of extreme weather events. In June, the UN warned that the rapidly deteriorating health of the ocean poses threats to human health and well-being due to its impacts on biodiversity and food security
Additionally, there has been a growing concern about the environmental impacts of the daily use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, given their massive energy and water demands in a world already struggling with water scarcity as well as the environmental consequences of mining activities
Despite the adoption of a UN resolution confirming member states’ obligations to combat climate change, there have been increasing calls for accountability of all entities involved in environmental crimes. On August 6, a South American law enforcement campaign resultedin hundreds of arrests and allowed the seizure of illicit assets in minerals and livestock
