One of the world’s leading scientists has warned that the issues of food security and climate change must be much more closely linked.

Professor Emeritus Thomas Rosswall, the recently retired Executive Director of the International Council for Science (ICSU), said a major re-think was necessary by all the sectors involved.

He said the status quo was not an option.

Presenting the 2009 ‘Science for Life’ lecture in Dundee, he warned that the global demand for food may increase by 50% by 2030 as the population grows and consumption patterns change.

Swedish-born Professor Rosswall speaks on behalf of the Challenge Programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, a consortium of more than 2000 scientists in 100 countries with over $500 million invested each year for research for development.

Professor Rosswall told his audience of mainly Scottish-based scientists, academics and policy officials that climate change research and food security research had “not connected”.

He said: “The discussions in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have had little dialogue with the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment process with its focus on managed ecosystems and human well-being.

“There is an urgent need to connect these spheres, both in scientific and policy contexts. The question of food security must be seen as an essential component, but only one, of ecosystems and how they are essential for the underpinning of human well-being and thus poverty alleviation.”

Professor Rosswall told his audience: “While global food production has increased, this has resulted in the degradation of other services, such as providing clean water and natural systems of pest control provided by the ecosystem.

“At the same time, the demand for food may increase by 50% by 2030 as the global population grows and consumption patterns change. In parallel, the funding for agricultural research is decreasing and universities in many countries have difficulties attracting good students to the necessary disciplines. A major re-think is necessary by all sectors involved.”

Professor Rosswall said the challenge to the science community, to the universities and research institutions – and to those funding research – was to embrace a multi-disciplinary and international approach to the issue of climate change and food security.

It was necessary to link the global to the local and thus connect climate change and development.

This year’s Science for Life Lecture was hosted by SCRI, Scotland’s leading research institute for research on crops based at Invergowrie. The venue was the Sensation science centre in Dundee.

Professor Rosswall also presented the prizes for the 2009 Postgraduate Student Competition organised by the Scottish Government’s main research providers.

Notes to editors

Professor Thomas Rosswall was until February the Executive Director of the International Council for Science (ICSU). He is Chair of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Challenge Programme: "Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security". Professor Rosswall is a microbial ecologist and ecosystem scientist with extensive research experience in agriculture and climate change. He has had substantial experience in launching and leading many complex, collaborative international research endeavours. He lives in Paris.

His lecture is titled: “Climate Change and Food Security: Linking Science to Policy”

The Science for Life Lecture is organised annually in turn by the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Moredun Research Institute, Rowett Institute, Royal Botanic Garden's Edinburgh, Scottish Agricultural College, SCRI and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

More information from:

Phil Taylor, Head of Communications, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560044 (direct line), Mobile: 07810 860 701 or

Lorraine Wakefield, Information and Online Service Officer, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560047 (direct line) or 562731 (switchboard).