Scientists have devised a food supplement for bees that they say will have a wide-reaching effect on global food security. The experts say the yeast strain will help honeybees live longer as intensive farming and the climate crisis rob the insects of flowers and pollen. It is hoped the breakthrough will stem the decline in populations of wild bees, which are important pollinators. They help contribute to the production of at least 70 per cent of major global crops such as almonds, apples and cherries.
Humans' collective prospects as a species don't look great. By 2050, the global population will hit an estimated 9.7 billion, meaning there will be 1.5 billion more mouths to feed than today. Demand for animal-derived protein, with its high environmental price tag, is predicted to rise faster still. Global temperatures and atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations are still increasing, tree cover is shrinking, oceans are acidifying, agricultural land is being lost to salinization, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.
The government is advising UK households to stock up on tinned food, water, medicine, and pet food in anticipation of potential threats or emergencies.
"It is deeply troubling that the EU has become more dependent on phosphorus from Russian mines," says Pär Larshans, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Ragn-Sells Group.
"When it rains in Indonesia, you see the sap flow through the sculpture in real time. When the air quality shifts, the flows respond. During a heatwave, the tree visibly struggles. This real-time installation reveals just how fragile the cacao supply chain has become."
Nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food, enough to feed about 1.5 million children for a week, are set to expire, as the Trump administration has ordered its incineration instead of distribution. This food was intended for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and its loss represents a significant waste of resources amid ongoing humanitarian needs.
Rollins stated, 'There are 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program. There are plenty of workers in America, but we just have to make sure we are not compromising today.'
The contributions of small-scale fishers, often labeled 'invisible', play a crucial role in sustainable fishing, providing around 40% of global catch and feeding 25% of the population.