The UK drought is a warning: Climate change is a food and public health emergency

The UK has entered a new era of climate volatility, in which record breaking temperatures and droughts are expected rather than exceptional events.1On 14 August, 71.3% of England was declared to be in drought, following the driest July on record, with some regions receiving only 10% of their average annual rainfall. Reservoir storage fell to 69% of capacity, 11.6% below seasonal norms, while 78% of England’s rivers are below normal levels, and more than 27 million people face water restrictions.2 It will take more than a few days of rain to bring water levels back to what they should be.The drought has been accompanied by heatwaves to create “compound extreme events” with substantial public health implications. As a result, what is often framed as a water management problem is now a warning that climate change is becoming a food and public health emergency.Droughts progress through four stages: a meteorological drought…