Many food crops can only grow under certain climate conditions, which means too little or too much heat or rainfall can spoil entire harvests. So far in 2024, record-breaking floods and heatwaves have devastated parts of the United States, Europe, Asia and Brazil. Oddly enough, droughts are also becoming more commonplace — adding the potential for a drop in crop yields and a boost in food prices across the globe.

A possible solution is to genetically modify crops to make them more resistant to these ever-increasing climate shocks. Genetically modified foods, also known as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), have long been the subject of controversy as many consumers fear they may have negative effects on human health. But over 100 research studies by everyone from the American Medical Association to the World Health Organization, have found that such fears are widely unfounded and that genetically modified foods are safe for consumers.

GM crops can be engineered to be more resistant to droughts in comparison to conventional crops, by making them strong enough to flourish with a fraction of the water required by non-GMO crops. They can also be made to resist pests and diseases — which could greatly reduce the need for toxic, environmentally damaging pesticides.

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However we proceed, it’s clear we must learn on the fly — as our rapidly changing climate presents an ever more pressing threat to both human health and the health of our global food supply.

Even the University of Queensland’s Karen Massel, who advocates for scaling the use of GM food crops, admits that “there are valid concerns” including “unintended consequences for ecosystems” — adding that “the development of future foods must be guided by a commitment to sustainability, social justice and scientific rigor.”

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