The Spanish omelette, the Italian lasagna or the French baguette are some of the traditional dishes that “are in danger if nature is not urgently rehabilitated,” cooks from several European countries warned. Climate change has endangered gastronomic cultural heritage to such an extent that “the Mediterranean diet could disappear if joint measures are not taken.” Extreme heat, droughts and torrential rains have already wreaked havoc on some crops. In Spain, chef Juan Monteagudo, Michelin star at the Ababol restaurant in Albacete, has reported a “brutal” decrease in the production of olives from his personal garden, while other crops, such as cauliflowers, have drastically reduced their size due to that it has been “much colder than normal.”
The latest scientific report from the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) ensures that the effects of climate change and unsustainable agricultural practices have affected the production of olives, potatoes and wheat in Spain, Italy, Poland, France and Germany. In 2022, the organization had already recorded “the lowest olive harvest since the beginning of the century.” This had consequences mainly for Spain, the world's leading producer of olive oil. The IEEP predictions are even more alarming and point to a 20.6% reduction in wheat production in Europe in the coming decades.
IEEP senior policy analyst Melanie Muro has expressed that “although there is considerable uncertainty around the exact magnitude of crop losses” they could be reduced or even “avoided” with some type of adaptation. Some of the measures proposed by the institute are the planting of hedges and the creation of more diverse landscapes. She has also suggested increasing the number of natural predators of pests and providing good habitats for pollinators of vital crops.
The IEEP has joined forces with European chefs and environmental organizations to encourage these measures based on the Nature Restoration Law. The regulation was approved last February in the European Parliament, but its final vote, required by the Council, has been postponed several times.
The Spanish chef and gastronomic influencer, Claudia Polo, has appealed to “citizen responsibility” when it comes to consumption. “Many times we do not take advantage of all the foods: in the case of vegetables or animal lives, the less noble parts must also be consumed.” The chef also calls for “an improvement in infrastructure” so that a greater variety of options reaches large stores and peripheral neighborhoods. In these areas, Polo laments, “local businesses such as fruit shops and butcher shops have been wiped out.”
Outside of Spain, Italian chef Antonio Chiodi Latini, head of Il Cuoco Della Terra in Turin, added that “sustainability begins with a deep reverence for the environment: its natural cycles, the earth and the generous raw materials it provides us.” . Polish chef Michal Snela, on the other hand, has demanded “concrete measures to protect our soils and, ultimately, our iconic cuisine.”
