Misc
Mapped: How the Energy Crisis Impacts Global Food Insecurity
Mapped: How the Energy Crisis Impacts Global Food Insecurity
Food insecurity occurs when an individual does not have access to the adequate quantity or quality of food they require to meet their biological needs.
A disruption in supply chains, rising input costs, and inadequate weather can all have a direct impact on global food security, all of which have been in play in recent years.
Using data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, let’s do a deep dive into food insecurity around the world and discuss how rising energy costs can drive up food prices, exacerbating food insecurity.
The State of Global Food Insecurity
The latest data from the FAO marks 29.3% of the entire world population to be moderately or severely food insecure, with 40% of this population experiencing severe food insecurity. Based on FAO definitions, here is what that means:
- A moderately food insecure person experiences uncertainty about their ability to obtain food, unwillingly compromising the quantity and/or the quality of food they consume
- A severely food insecure person lacks access to food, enduring prolonged periods of time without eating
The African continent bears most of the burden when it comes to global food insecurity, with 14 out of the top 15 most food-insecure countries being in this region. The data also paints a relatively grim picture for Middle Eastern and South American countries, while North America and Western Europe have moderate or severe food insecurity marked below 10%.
| Country | Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity (3-year average, 2019-2021) |
|---|---|
| 🇨🇬 Congo | 88.7% |
| 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 86.7% |
| 🇸🇸 South Sudan | 86.4% |
| 🇭🇹 Haiti | 82.5% |
| 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 81.3% |
| 🇲🇼 Malawi | 81.3% |
| 🇱🇷 Liberia | 80.6% |
It’s difficult to pinpoint the prevalence of African food insecurity to just one cause. Climate change, conflict in Africa, government debt, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have all contributed in different ways to worsening food security conditions in this region.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, for instance, led to European aid for African countries to drop substantially, while grain exports from both Ukraine and Russia fell as ports in the Black Sea experienced disruptions. The war has also caused a disruption in fertilizer supplies, with Russia being the top exporter of fertilizer, along with a substantial rise in farming input costs as energy prices soared in 2022.
How Energy Prices Trickle Down to Food Prices
Food prices have risen substantially in the last year due to surging energy prices and supply chain disruptions. The FAO food price index, which measures the change in international prices of a basket of food commodities, saw a 14.3% increase between 2021 and 2022.
| Index | % change in price since 2021 |
|---|---|
| General Food Price Index | 14.3% |
| Meat | 10.4% |
| Dairy | 19.6% |
| Cereals | 17.9% |
| Vegetable oils | 13.9% |
| Sugar | 4.7% |
As seen above, individual commodity indices followed this trend, with dairy and cereal prices bearing the brunt.
Energy costs trickle down to food prices in a variety of ways. The simple correlation between historic oil and corn prices, seen below, can paint a telling picture.
What’s interesting is that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that the effects of the 2022 energy cost crisis may not have even fully materialized yet.
According to their research, a 1% increase in fertilizer prices can boost food commodity prices by 0.45% within four quarters. With natural gas, a major input for nitrogen-based fertilizer, being 150% more expensive in 2022 than in 2021, this may be a cause for concern in the upcoming months.
Relatedly, a rise in fertilizer costs is also connected to harvest levels in upcoming seasons. Reduced use of fertilizer as a result of high costs can lead to diminished crop yields, and the IMF predicts that a 1% drop in global harvests bumps food commodity prices by 8.5%, potentially indicating that the worst of it for food prices—and for global food security—is still yet to come.
Looking Ahead to 2023
Food security is a fundamental aspect of human existence and plays an important role in the steady economic growth and prosperity of nations. While we may be tempted to believe that we’re heading in the right direction on a global scale, the FAO paints a different picture, specifically for Africa.
2030 predictions for global undernourishment forecast an 11.5% increase in hunger in Africa, while world hunger at large is predicted to decrease. With global inflation looming high and food prices still under the influence of 2022 events, addressing hunger in Africa is as crucial as ever to improve the overall well-being and development of the continent.
Misc
Why Copper Is Critical for Data Centers
Copper consumption for data centers in North America is estimated to jump from 197,000 tonnes in 2020 to 238,000 tonnes in 2030.
Why Copper Is Critical for Data Centers
Data centers are computer server hubs that collect, store, and process large amounts of data, requiring extensive network infrastructure and electric power supply.
As the North American data center market grows, copper will be a key building block in this infrastructure.
This infographic from the Copper Development Association illustrates the critical role of copper in data center development.
Copper in Technology
Much has been said about the growing demand for critical minerals like copper, nickel, and lithium for clean technologies such as batteries, EVs, solar, and wind power.
Copper, however, has a more extensive role in technology as it is used in wires that connect power grids and data centers around the planet.
As one of the best conductors of electricity, copper maximizes efficiency in the transmission and distribution of electricity. Its thermal conductivity also helps build efficient heat exchangers, which are vital for cooling in data centers.
The inherent ductility and malleability of copper make it ideal for shaping into compact system components, like electrical connectors. In addition, copper can be fully recycled without losing any beneficial properties, providing an excellent solution in a growing green economy.
Data centers use copper across various electrical applications, including:
- Power cables
- Busbars
- Electrical connectors
- Heat exchangers and sinks
- Power distribution strips
To put the demand into perspective, Microsoft’s $500 million data center in Chicago required 2,177 tonnes of copper for construction.
North America’s Growing Need for Copper
With the rise of cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT), the North American data center market is expanding.
North American data center infrastructure is expected to grow from a $33 billion business in 2020 to $70 billion in 2030 and $185 billion in 2040.
This, in turn, will amplify the demand for copper. Copper consumption for data centers is estimated to jump from 197,000 tonnes in 2020 to 238,000 tonnes in 2030 and 293,000 tonnes in 2040.
The Copper Development Association (CDA) brings the value of copper and its alloys to society to address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Visit www.copper.org to learn more about copper’s critical role in data centers.
Misc
From Lead to Copper: Replacing America’s Aging Water Infrastructure
Investing in the transition from lead to copper is crucial for providing safe water to millions of Americans.
From Lead to Copper: Replacing America’s Aging Water Infrastructure
Water service lines, crucial for connecting buildings to the public water supply, are often outdated and built from lead, presenting significant health risks to Americans.
As the government invests billions toward replacing lead service lines, copper pipelines offer a safe, reliable, resilient, and sustainable alternative.
This infographic from the Copper Development Association illustrates how investing in the transition from lead to copper is crucial for providing safe water to millions of Americans.
The Problem with Lead Service Lines
In the 20th century, lead was commonly used for water service lines and plumbing pipes.
However, lead pipes can degrade over time, leading to the release of lead particles into drinking water. Even at low-to-moderate levels, lead exposure can have severe negative health impacts, including:
- Hearing loss
- Anemia
- Kidney impairment
- Immune system dysfunction
Today, every state in America has lead service lines (LSLs) that the federal government is actively working to replace.
Besides LSLs, an additional 2.8 million galvanized water pipes also need replacing.
Delivering Safe Water
Copper tubing has become the primary material to replace old water service lines.
The red metal is an antimicrobial material that kills pathogens, and it is also highly corrosion-resistant, with a typical service life of over 50 years.
In addition, copper service lines are impermeable and prevent outside chemicals from leaking into water. Copper tubes can be fully recycled at the end of their useful lives without losing any beneficial properties.
Replacing Lead Service Lines with Copper
If America were to replace all 12 million of its lead and galvanized service lines, it would require more than 650 million feet of copper tubing, equivalent to 180,000 tonnes of metal. To compare, the U.S. produced 22 million tonnes of copper in 2022.
The U.S. has commissioned several large-scale copper recycling projects in recent years, creating opportunities to meet the demand with recycled and mined supply.
However, upgrading the nation’s water infrastructure will require over $56 billion, way more than the $15 billion currently provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Visit Copper Development Association to learn more about how copper is crucial for providing safe water to millions of Americans.
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