Members of the Green Party went without food yesterday to highlight the effects of climate change and the threat it presents to global food supply.
Members of the Green Party fasted yesterday to raise awareness about climate change. Photo: RNZ / Jemma Brackebush
The party's 14 MPs were taking part in Fast For The Climate, a global movement that began after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines.
They gathered in front of Parliament with empty plates yesterday afternoon, calling on the government to make a greater commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand.
The party's co-leader, Russel Norman, said the connection between climate change and food security was highlighted again when food crops were wiped out in Vanuatu by Cyclone Pam.
"In isolated cases - so, in Vanuatu, for example, obviously after the cyclone there, their food crops were wiped out and they face very significant issues around food security," he said.
"But, in a global trading system, it will affect the global food supply by pushing up the price of food.
"Pushing up the price of food isn't a problem if you've got enough money, but for a lot of people who are poor in developed countries or many people in developing countries, [an] increased cost of food is a crisis."
The party is warning that global food supplies will continue to be threatened by extreme weather events if no significant action is taken against climate change.