Climate change could make food more expensive in Chile, according to ADN Radio. The outlet bases its warning on the Emissions Gap Report 2026 from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN's environmental agency.
The UNEP document projects a rise in global temperatures of up to 2.8 °C during this century. According to the cited report, that scenario intensifies flooding and wildfires.
This is a long-term climate projection, not a weather forecast. ADN Radio's article does not detail which Chilean crops face the greatest risk or which river basins or regions would bear the impacts.
The outlet describes a risk to the country's food security: extreme weather events damage rural infrastructure and disrupt supply chains, putting pressure on the final price of products.
Natalia Paredes, general manager of Cheaf Chile, explained the effect on household budgets. "A harvest lost to a flood or a drought that reduces yields can end up affecting food availability and prices," she said.
Data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) show that between January and September 2026, food prices recorded a cumulative increase of 3.9%. Potatoes and lettuce saw sharp monthly increases. The source does not attribute those specific increases to climate change.
The impact weighs more heavily on vulnerable households. According to United Nations figures cited by ADN Radio, around 3.2 million people in Chile experience some degree of food insecurity, meaning limited or uncertain access to sufficient food.
As adaptation measures, specialists consulted by the outlet propose reducing food waste, optimizing consumption and protecting logistics chains. The warning coincides with the International Day Against Climate Change, observed this October 24.
