Theoretical Framework of “Hidden Hunger” in the Context of Climate Change: Global Governance Challenges of Micronutrient Deficiency

Abstract

In the era of climate change, the global food system not only faces the problem of calorie shortage, but also faces a more hidden and universal crisis: micronutrient deficiency, which is often called “hidden hunger”. This problem affects more than 2 billion people all over the world, weakening their immune system, cognitive development and working ability. Climate change has aggravated soil degradation, changed the nutrient composition of plants and disrupted the food supply chain. However, the existing rules and organizations are not strong enough to solve this problem well. This study uses the insights of nutrition science, climate economics and global governance theory to construct an analytical framework to study how climate change exacerbates hidden hunger and the obstacles in institutions that prevent us from taking action. Using evidence from different disciplines, we say that hidden hunger is a “thorny problem”: it has complex causes, its impact comes slowly, and the responsibility is shared among too many different groups. Our analysis shows that there are three interrelated ways of climate impact: the direct impact of increased carbon dioxide emissions on plant nutritional quality, the indirect impact of changes in diet and food supply, and the systematic impact of supply chain and economic access problems. We see that governance problems still exist, for example, the monitoring system is not strong enough, the coordination between different departments is not good enough, and funds are insufficient. This study provides a unified theoretical framework to link climate change with nutritional outcomes, and provides concrete ways to improve global governance, such as stronger monitoring systems, better cross-sectoral policy integration and new financing tools.