Global Hunger Hits Record 363 Million as War, Sanctions, and Climate Collapse Drive Crisis
A perfect storm of war, economic sanctions, and climate shocks has pushed global hunger to a historic high, with 363 million people now facing acute food shortages — including 45 million directly affected by the US-Israel conflict with Iran [158717].
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns the crisis is deepening as funding to fight famine has dropped sharply. “We are taking from the hungry to feed the starving,” a WFP deputy director said [158717]. The war on Iran has not only devastated the Middle East but also triggered a spike in oil prices, driving up costs for fuel, fertiliser, and animal feed worldwide [167083]. Farmers across the globe are now struggling to stay afloat as input costs soar [167083].
Meanwhile, extreme weather is compounding the damage. The UK recorded its hottest May day ever, and Europe saw record-breaking temperatures in late May. The UN has warned that El Niño — a climate pattern that raises global temperatures and worsens rainfall extremes — is likely to return soon [167083].
In Africa’s Sahel region, the situation has become dire. Violence, civilian displacement, and climate shocks have pushed millions to the brink. The UN warns the crisis, which began in 2012, has “largely faded from the headlines” even as conditions rapidly worsen and spill across national borders [170006].
A group of leading economists, including a Nobel laureate, now says the current economic system has failed. In a new roadmap, they argue that poverty and inequality are not accidents but deliberate policy choices. Despite record global wealth, roughly one in ten people live in extreme poverty. The economists call climate disasters “symptoms of an economic model that has reached the end of the road” and urge a redesign of tax rules, labor markets, and public services [169933].
Experts at the World Inequality Lab have also warned that a global wealth tax is “inevitable,” arguing that without taxing the richest individuals and corporations across borders, inequality will continue to rise [169896].
The crisis is not limited to food. A new report from German researchers warns that powerful nations and armed groups are increasingly ignoring international law, with “warlords” seizing power through unchecked military force. The study highlights conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa as part of a worldwide breakdown of global rules [169876].
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has reopened under a fragile ceasefire, allowing some Palestinians to leave and aid trucks to enter. But the truce remains in its early stages, and the flow of people and goods is seen as a key test of its durability [61075].