War and climate change are rapidly reducing humanity’s ability to feed itself.

(Originally published July 8 in “What in the World“) The United Nations’ World Food Programme is warning that we face a catastrophic food shortage and potential famine in the next two years as supply-chain disruptions sparked by the pandemic are intensified by Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports from Black Sea ports. The number of people facing hunger has more than doubled, according to the WFP, to 345 million, from 130 million before Covid-19. The looming crisis is also the subject of an interesting new podcast by the UN’s Conference on Trade and Development.

Ukraine’s wheat exports last month were 43% lower than the same month last year, thanks to Russia’s invasion and blockade of Black Sea ports. The crisis is also being worsened by high costs for fuel and fertilizer.

Climate change is also strangling our ability to feed ourselves. The latest evidence: Spain, the largest exporter of olives and of olive oil, and neighboring olive powerhouse Portugal are suffering through their driest climate in 1,200 years.