Food security is under threat, which could lead to economic and social instability

ARU Press office
30 April 2026

A new report from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) warns that biodiversity loss, alongside climate shocks and geopolitical conflict, is disrupting our food system, risking catastrophic impacts for the financial system and for society as a whole.

Recent events in the Gulf region show a fragile food system being further threatened by disruption to fertiliser supply chains passing through the Strait of Hormuz. There is a real risk of further food price shocks which, alongside sharp rises in energy costs, will drive up the cost of living.

‘Planetary Solvency: Tipping into the wild unknown’, the joint Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and IFoA authored report, explains that chronic pressures such as soil degradation and water scarcity are already leading to lower crop yields, pushing up food prices and reducing availability.

Acute shocks including trade disruption, extreme weather events and ecological collapse add further stresses, resulting in higher and more volatile food prices.

…