COP27

Conference of the Parties or ‘COP’ provides an opportunity for our world leaders to unite annually and agree on actions to address the climate crisis. COP27 took place in Sharm-el-Sheikh in November 2022.

We sent a delegation to COP27 where we joined forces with over 20 organisations, including ProVeg International, Food Tank, FOUR PAWS, IPES-Food, and A Well-Fed World, to host the Food4Climate Pavilion. As one of the first pavilions dedicated solely to food system change, it provided an opportunity to host daily talks, side events, and presentations, to highlight the vital yet overlooked need to transform our global food system.

Event participation 

Our US Director, Ben Williamson, spoke at the AIM4C Roadshow Event about alternative proteins and the role they could play in helping to combat the climate crisis (i). Our Global Head of Food Systems Advocacy, Eirini Pitsilidi, shared our vision for navigating the complex issues involved when transitioning to more nature-friendly food systems. This included taking part in a panel discussion called ‘Rethinking Nutrition’ (ii), which focused on overcoming challenges in awareness and understanding of nature-friendly, sustainable diets. Eirini also joined experts, including Professor Mark Sutton, Director, International Nitrogen Management System to consider the role of nitrogen management in agriculture in addressing climate change (iii) and spoke about the outlook for Koronivia (iv), the specific UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) negotiations relating to agriculture.

Our Global Director of Campaigns and Advocacy, Debbie Tripley, provided insights on a panel on how to tackle climate change through alternative livestock management systems (v), and on Adaptation and Agriculture Day spoke on measures for repurposing agricultural subsidies to support climate-friendly food without reducing the economic welfare of small-scale farmers (vi). Andrea Perez, our Global Manager of Food Systems Advocacy (Alternative Proteins), shared her expertise in a debate on how to foster a just transition towards resilient food systems and provided reflections on strategies for reducing emissions from food exports through examples of ‘agro landscape’ approaches from Latin America (viii), which focus on reversal of land degradation and halting loss of biodiversity. 

Food system transformation is vital to fight the climate crisis

During the two-week event, we took every opportunity to raise awareness of the urgent need to transform our global food system. Through a combined approach of speaking opportunities, monitoring, and responding to progress at delegations as well as networking with influencers from all over the world our message was amplified far and wide.

The importance of taking measures to fight climate change is at an all-time high. Food production is currently responsible for one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, and the livestock sector alone produces more greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) than the direct emissions of all the world’s trains, planes, and cars put together.

Unless we successfully move away from animal-sourced foods, reduce food loss and waste, and switch to regenerative farming that works in harmony with nature we will be unable to meet climate targets.

We welcomed the news that progress was made on the Sharm-el-Sheikh joint work on the implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security. However, world leaders missed the opportunity to broadly acknowledge food systems as a whole.

Bold, ambitious changes that are properly implemented are needed to safeguard the future of our planet. Visit Global Solutions to learn more about how this can be achieved.

Sources

(i) AIM4C Roadshow Event: 'Advancing sustainable protein to reach climate goals'

(ii) Panel series from FoodTank 

(iii) The role of nutrient management in agriculture in addressing climate change

(iv) Koronivia’s Future – The role of Diet shift

(v) Tackling Climate Change through better Livestock Management Systems

(vi) Repurposing agricultural support to transform our food systems

(vii) Sustainable diets: fostering a just transition towards resilient food systems

(viii) Low emission food export offer based on an agro landscape approach, Costa Rica and Paraguay