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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
How climate change is raising your grocery bill
A 300% spike in Australian lettuce prices . A 50% rise for European olive oil and 80% for US vegetables. Researchers from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the European Central Bank have traced back those price jumps to extreme weather they say is linked to climate change . The group analyzed 16 weather events around the world between 2022 and 2024. Many were so unusual that a given region had experienced nothing like it prior to 2020, according to the analysis, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Letters on Monday in Europe. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Product Management Finance Healthcare Public Policy Operations Management Technology others MCA Data Analytics Project Management Degree PGDM Cybersecurity healthcare Management Others CXO MBA Artificial Intelligence Data Science Leadership Data Science Design Thinking Digital Marketing Skills you'll gain: Product Strategy & Roadmapping User-Centric Product Design Agile Product Development Market Analysis & Product Launch Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate in Product Management Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Product Strategy & Competitive Advantage Tactics Product Development Processes & Market Orientations Product Analytics & Data-Driven Decision Making Agile Development, Design Thinking, & Product Leadership Duration: 40 Weeks IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Product Management Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Creating Effective Product Roadmap User Research & Translating it to Product Design Key Metrics via Product Analytics Hand-On Projects Using Cutting Edge Tools Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business ISB Product Management Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details 'Unprecedented conditions are set to become increasingly common across the world,' the study's authors say. 'At the same time, new records for extreme conditions will continue to be set, further from those to which agricultural production and economic systems are currently adapted.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Climate change brings with it higher temperatures and extreme rains, which can lower yields and make the crops that are harvested more expensive. British households' food bill, for instance, was £361 (about $484) more in 2022 and 2023 due to climate change, according to estimates by the nonprofit Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. (ECIU staffer Tom Lancaster was a coauthor of the new study.) Consumers globally say they are feeling the effects of climate change on their grocery bills, making food unaffordable for some and posing a challenge for central bankers trying to tame inflation. Live Events Here are a few of the price hikes the researchers identified: Soaring US vegetable prices In 2022, California registered its driest three-year period ever recorded, leaving nearly a million acres of farm fields unplanted and producing initial crop revenue losses of nearly $2 billion that year alone. Arizona, which grows most of the US's winter lettuce supply, also saw reductions in the amount of water the state received from the Colorado River, due to a drought-related water shortage in the river basin. These conditions in two major US agricultural states, paired with Hurricane Ian hitting Florida, contributed to a more than 80% hike in the country's vegetable prices compared with the previous year. A wide-reaching Asia heat wave A heat wave that warmed Asia last year to temperatures as high as 115F (46C) was one of the disruptive weather events that led to vegetable prices in China rising more than 40% between June and September. Hot and dry conditions also left South Korean cabbages nearly 70% more expensive than the year prior, according to local media reports. Napa cabbage is commonly pickled into kimchi, a staple local dish, and the government has utilized national stocks to bolster supplies. Australian lettuce's 300% hike Eastern Australia faced record-breaking extreme flooding in early 2022, which was soon estimated to be Australia's costliest ever flood and its fifth most costly disaster. A resulting lettuce shortage led shoppers to complain about prices of around A$12 ($7.81) for a head of iceberg lettuce. The lettuce previously cost roughly A$2.80 a piece, according to the Guardian , representing a more than 300% price increase. Fast food chain KFC even began substituting in cabbage in its burgers. Is climate inflation permanent? Prices tend to respond as soon as one or two months after an instance of extreme heat or drought, says Max Kotz, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral fellow at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. He and the other authors also looked at how unusual weather events were for each region, based on the distribution of measures like temperature over time. They found that heat, drought and floods were occurring at an increased intensity and frequency. El Niño, a climate pattern that occurred from 2023 to 2024, likely also influenced the extreme weather observed, the authors say. These kinds of food price shocks typically turn out to be short-term in nature, because high prices incentivize more production, which brings prices back down, says Andrew Stevenson, a senior climate analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. Products like coffee and cattle are the exception, because they require certain conditions such as a tropical climate or large swathes of land for grazing that limit where they can be grown and bred. Coffee and cattle futures, contracts that represent near-term pricing in those markets, have marched up in price since 2020 — in contrast with futures for a crop like corn that's more easily grown. New US tariffs could further squeeze farmers abroad, says Stevenson. 'It puts producers in an uncomfortable position where the price of beef is too expensive to sell at home but not expensive enough to sell with a 50% tariff,' he adds. Extreme weather is only expected to continue, and the study recommends that countries consider policies that will help consumers manage rising food prices. Ultimately, though, slashing greenhouse gas emissions and containing global warming will be key to reducing food price inflation risks, the authors say. Climate forecasts can also provide early warnings, and farms can implement adaptations like irrigation, though both approaches have serious limitations.
GMA Network
26-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Palace to VP Sara: Your father was also present during destruction of drugs
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Thursday hit back at Vice President Sara Duterte for saying that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. was doing ''photo op'' when he witnessed the destruction of illegal drugs in Tarlac province. At a press briefing, Castro reminded the Vice President that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, did the same when he was still the Chief Executive. Castro showed the media a report, which stated that the former president witnessed the incineration of P7.51 billion worth of dangerous drugs in Cavite in 2020. On Wednesday, Marcos witnessed the destruction of P9,484,134,038.62 worth of dangerous drugs at the Clean Leaf International Corporation in Capas City. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
25-06-2025
- GMA Network
Marcos witnesses drug destruction in Tarlac
CAPAS CITY - President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday witnessed the destruction of P9,484,134,038.62 worth of dangerous drugs at the Clean Leaf International Corporation in Tarlac province. Together with the president was Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla. Among the illegal drugs destroyed were the 1,304.604 kilograms of floating packs of shabu, which have an estimated value of P8,871,307,200.00. These floating shabu were recovered by local fishermen off the waters of Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Cagayan. Meanwhile, PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez said the destruction activity was in response to the President's order to destroy all illegal drugs as quickly as possible with nothing spared. 'The destruction process was made in full transparency and in compliance with the requirements of the law on the custody and disposition of seized dangerous drugs. PDEA kept under close watch until the drugs were completely reduced to ashes,' Nerez said in a separate press release. When it comes to the recovered floating shabu where no person is arrested and no criminal case was lodged; the drugs were destroyed on account of a sworn certification issued by the Director General pursuant to Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 1 Series of 2002. —KG, GMA Integrated News
New Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
India's EV policy: Can it deliver?
To encourage global brands to invest under the Scheme, they will be allowed to import Completely Built-in Units (CBUs) of e-4W with a minimum Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of $35,000 at reduced customs duty of 15% for five years from the application approval date. To avail this important benefit of the scheme, manufacturers would be required to make minimum investment of Rs4,150 crore. The maximum number of electric four-wheelers allowed to be imported at the reduced duty rate is capped at 8,000 units per year. The carryover of unutilised annual import limits would be permitted. The maximum benefits from this duty reduction are topped at Rs6,484 crore or the actual investment amount, whichever is lower. Manufacturers are also required to meet certain criteria including the need to achieve an annual turnover of at least Rs2,500 crore by the second year, Rs5,000 crore by the fourth year, and Rs7,500 crore by the fifth year. Additionally, they must reach local value-addition targets of 25% by the third year and 50% by the fifth year. They are also required to be of a certain size. The Global Group's Revenue (from automotive manufacturing) has to be at least Rs10,000 crore and if the applicant is an investment company, the revenue should not be less than Rs3,000 crore. The application widow under the scheme is likely to open soon, and will remain open for 120 days. However, the government can reopen the window as and when required till March 15, 2026. Union heavy industries minister H D Kumaraswamy has said that global players including Mercedes, Volkswagen-Skoda, Hyundai, and Kia have shown interest in applying under the EV policy.
TimesLIVE
03-06-2025
- TimesLIVE
Embassy offers help to family of Kim White Towne, alleged GBV victim in US
International relations and co-operation minister Ronald Lamola has offered assistance to the family of Capetonian Kim White Towne, who was allegedly murdered by her American husband. 'Our embassy in Washington DC is providing full consular assistance to the family,' he said while sharing his condolences. Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the minister, said: 'The circumstances surrounding the tragic death remain under active investigation by the relevant US authorities. Out of respect for the investigative process, the sensitivity of the matter and the privacy of the grieving family, the government will not provide further detailed commentary at this time.' Towne, 32, from the Blouberg area, had moved to Chantilly, Virginia, with her husband Alexander Towne. They had a child together but their relationship was tumultuous and she had moved home for a while before returning to him, according to posts by family members on social media platforms. She was killed on May 25 when he allegedly strangled her during an argument. A BackaBuddy campaign has been launched to help her family pay for the formalities involved with repatriating her remains. So far donations of R84,484 have been pledged, with a goal of R108,000. Organiser Lauren Delcarme said: 'Kim was a vibrant and cherished member of our family whose warmth, kindness and gentle spirit touched everyone she met. 'Her sudden and untimely death has left us in profound grief, and we are faced with the heartbreaking task of bringing her home to SA, where she can be laid to rest among her loved ones. The process of repatriating a loved one's remains is complex and costly. Expenses possibly include cremation, documentation and international transport. We are reaching out to our community and beyond to ask for support in raising the funds needed to reunite Kim with her family and homeland.' Friends are sharing their memories of her, recalling her as 'an amazing person who was always smiling and bringing joy', and who showed 'warmth, humour and kindness' to everyone she knew.
