Greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden threaten global food production

By Alimat Aliyeva

If Sweden had not contributed to greenhouse gas emissions over the past 33 years, more than 250,000 people could have been fed annually, according to Azernews reports.

This is stated in the latest report from the international charity organization Oxfam, which focuses on addressing poverty, inequality, and social issues worldwide.

According to the report, 10 percent of the richest people on the planet, including one in seven Swedes, are responsible for half of the world's waste. Astrid Nilsson Lewis, a climate scientist at Oxfam, stated, "We are shocked that we are already seeing such serious consequences, and we know that the situation will only get worse."

Oxfam predicts that emissions from the world’s richest people will lead to lower food yields by 2050, with average annual crop losses potentially able to feed about 148.8 million people. Currently, waste produced by Swedes leads to the loss of crops that could feed 260,000 people a year, and by 2050, this figure may double.

Lewis adds, "Sweden is a small country, and we are doing everything we can to combat climate change. But we still have disproportionately high emissions, which continue to grow and have devastating consequences around the world."

Human greenhouse gas emissions are already causing deaths due to heat waves, crop losses, and economic impacts. Oxfam estimates that the productivity of crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans is significantly reduced due to these emissions. It is estimated that without these emissions, 48.2 million people could have experienced food shortages between 1990 and 2023. Further temperature increases are expected to worsen the situation due to extreme weather conditions like droughts and heavy rains, which will negatively affect plants.

One of the main topics of the COP29 climate summit, which will be held in Azerbaijan in a week, will be the financing of the compensation fund for losses and damages from climate change. Oxfam is proposing that Sweden contribute 24 billion kronor ($2.24 billion) to the fund, which could be financed by introducing a wealth tax for the country's multimillionaires and billionaires. Lewis notes that such a tax could raise 158 billion kronor ($14.7 billion), which would help offset the damage caused by climate change.