In recent years, the climate change crisis, particularly heat waves and water scarcity, has been wreaking havoc on olive oil production in the Mediterranean region. This alarming trend was confirmed by the International Olive Oil Council (IOC), which has been keenly monitoring the situation. The Mediterranean region, known for its lush olive groves, has been witnessing a significant decline in olive oil production, a staple in many households worldwide.
Spain, a major player in the global olive oil industry, accounting for about 40% of its production, has been hit hard. These unfavorable conditions have resulted in reduced olive oil consumption not only in the Mediterranean but also across the European Union. Meanwhile, other countries like the United States, Canada, China, Japan, and Australia have been relatively less impacted by these climate changes.
Despite these adversities, the resilience of the olive oil industry is commendable. The production worldwide remains stable at around 3 million tons annually, contributing to 2% of the world’s vegetable oil production. Jaime Lillo, the Executive Director of the IOC, has pointed out that climate change has resulted in shorter harvests and a stabilization of production campaigns.
However, the olive oil industry is feeling the heat with warmer winters due to climate change. This has the potential to severely impact millions of livelihoods, and it’s already causing an increase in consumer prices. A case in point is olive farmer Vasilis Dimas, who tragically lost about 60% of his harvest in 2023 to 2024 because of warmer winters.
The situation appears to be worsening, as indicated by the overall EU olive-oil production, which declined by 26% for the 2022 to 2023 harvest and is projected to drop by a staggering 39% this year.
This decrease in olive and olive oil production has had a domino effect, resulting in higher prices for consumers. In a surprising development, there has been an increase in theft in supermarkets and the emergence of olive oil on the black market.
The climate change crisis is posing a major threat to the olive oil industry in the Mediterranean region. While the industry is showing resilience amid these challenges, there is a pressing need for global cooperation and innovative solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change on this crucial sector.
Science4Data is committed to cut through greenwashing and measure real impact. Join the journey to a sustainable future. Your actions matter.
