Analysing the international architecture for climate action in food systems
20 November 2024
15:00 – 16:30 AZT
Side Event 8
Official COP29 Side Event
About The Event
The need to address climate change in food systems has never been more pressing. While the UNFCCC has fostered important discussions on agriculture over the past two decades, progress remains slower than necessary. The complexity of the global food system, combined with differing priorities and governance challenges, has often made it difficult to achieve cohesive, sustained action. As new initiatives and declarations continue to emerge, questions arise about the effectiveness of the international architecture for climate action in food systems and its ability to drive meaningful change.
This session will consider a critical question: How can the institutional landscape support ambitious action in food systems and agriculture within the UNFCCC framework? While some initiatives gain early momentum, their long-term impact can be limited. However, the agricultural sector, with its extensive multilateral systems, holds significant potential to align more closely with climate action and promote greater ambition.
At this pivotal moment, there is an opportunity to reflect on how existing structures can be better equipped to accelerate progress and what new approaches may be needed. This session aims to foster candid and constructive dialogue among a wide range of stakeholders—governments, NGOs, research institutions, and farmer organizations—to assess both the strengths and gaps in the current architecture. Through these discussions, participants will explore pathways to enhance collaboration and identify actionable steps to build a more impactful and accountable global approach to climate action in food systems.
Event Objective
Event Rundown
3:05 pm
Welcome and context setting
Dhanush Dinesh, Founder & Chief Climate Catalyst, Clim-Eat
3:15 pm
Opening Keynote
Has process hijacked purpose? Outlook on food systems transformation in the global climate change processes
Leanne Zeppenfeldt, Collaboration and Learning Architect, Clim-Eat
3:25 pm
Opening Keynote 2
Opportunities for strengthening the international architecture for climate action in food systems
Aarti Gupta, Wageningen University & Research
3:55 pm
Harvesting voices: An interactive panel session with stakeholders
Moderator:
Dhanush Dinesh, Founder & Chief Climate Catalyst, Clim-Eat
Panelists:
Ishmael Sunga, Chief Executive Officer, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)
Bruno Brasil, Director of Sustainable Production and Irrigation at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Brazil
Paul Desanker, Manager in the Adaptation Programme, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Katja Vuori, Chief Executive Officer, AgriCord
Martin Frick, World Food Programme
4:15 pm
Q&A with the audience
4:20 pm
The way forward to strengthen the international architecture for climate action in food systems
Ms. Wampie Libon, Director Inclusive Green Growth, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
4:25 pm
Investing in change: Mobilizing the investments needed to strengthen the international architecture
Ana Maria Lobogurerro, Director, Adaptive and Equitable Food Systems, Gates Foundation
4:30 pm
Closing remarks
Dhanush Dinesh, Founder & Chief Climate Catalyst, Clim-Eat