THE CORRELATION BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE FOOD SYSTEM – The role of five global goods from the Little Ice Age to the global warming

Abstract

Nowadays, potatoes, maize, coffee, tea, and cocoa form a relevant part of the global diet. From the Age of Discovery to nowadays, the five global goods arrived in Europe in the form of "exotic" goods, and slowly spread among the population to then integrate, within a few centuries, into the global diet. This thesis aims to analyze the historical, economic, and social conditions that draw a relationship between these five commodities with the two climatic crises of the period under analysis: the Little Ice Age and global warming. The weather-related disasters of the Little Ice Age are examined for their role in accelerating some ongoing transformations in Europe, among which the adoption of potatoes and maize. During the Little Ice Age, these "exotic" foods played the role of alternative, and even lifesaving crops, since, on some occasions, they have been responsible for the survival of the part of the population most exposed to weather events. Coffee, tea, and cocoa are analyzed from an opposing perspective: the high demand for the three stimulant beverages has led to some profound consequences, such as the drastic reshaping of landscapes, which can be considered one of the concurrent causes of global warming.