This panel, co-organized by FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme, brought together high-level actors to discuss the nexus of climate action, food systems, and human nutrition; and to share examples of the solutions to ending hunger and building ambitious climate action. Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO, set the scene by explaining that global diets have caused negative impacts for human health, the economy, and the environment; and that agriculture and food security are key parts of addressing climate change.
Maria Helena Semedo, FAO, spoke about the current state of world hunger, malnutrition, and poverty, noting that the current scientific and political consensus is that, while humans produce enough food to feed the planet, hunger remains on the rise—and that global warming of 2°C will make the task of its elimination much more difficult. She urged that everyone must help scale climate action beyond policy development, including by investing in women’s education and leadership, in order to reshape the food system towards sustainability and equity for all in a low-carbon economy.
Hoesung Lee, Chair, IPCC, reported back on the Panel’s Special Report on 1.5°C, and said that, of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) – is one of the most important, and at the heart of the IPCC’s work. Lee pointed out the report’s conclusions that carbon sequestration is essential to restoring soil quality and removing atmospheric CO2. He reiterated the Special Report’s three key messages:
- every bit of warming matters;
- every year matters; and
- every choice matters.
David Nabarro, Skills, Systems & Synergies for Sustainable Development, clarified that climate action requires a four-part transformation of food systems, saying that they must: yield nutritious and healthy food for all; restore ecosystems everywhere; provide decent livelihoods for agricultural and food workers; and contribute to mitigation while helping with adaptation. He expressed his satisfaction that the UN Secretary General’s 2019 Climate Summit will place a large emphasis on agriculture and natural ecosystems, and stressed that agriculture and food systems can contribute to 30% of global emissions reductions by 2030.
Joseph Jouthe, Minister of Environment, Haiti, shared some of his country’s experiences in mobilizing to avoid soil degradation on agricultural lands while preserving food security. He also recounted that intensifying agroforestry systems by converting marginal agricultural land, as well as promoting more energy-efficient dietary habits, have positively contributed to food and land systems in Haiti. Jouthe concluded by urging participants to reinforce interactions between the climate action community and the developing world.
Ryszard Zarudzki, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland, said that climate change has a negative impact on food security, including in Poland, where agriculture has already been affected by drought, precipitation, and early frosts. He also raised the challenge of helping farmers adapt towards climate-friendly practices in the context of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. Speaking specifically about Polish adaptation strategies, he stressed the need for: early warning systems; innovation on farms; and better advice and consulting for producers.
Pramisha Thapaliya, YOUNGO, stressed that smallholder farmers are some of the first affected by climate change, clarifying that poverty, climate change, and hunger are linked. She suggested that focusing on smallholder adaptation can play a valuable role in climate action, highlighting the needs of recognizing local and indigenous knowledge in adaptation; and helping farmers understand how they can best adapt through practices and systems such as agroforestry and agroecology. She concluded that acting locally and regionally is essential to achieving zero hunger.
Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg, began by arguing that reducing the consumption of animal products is a significant way of achieving global targets and achieving SDG 2. He pointed to policies across the world, such as food waste laws and policies on dietary guidelines, which have successfully helped to reduce CO2 emissions by helping to shift consumption towards more balanced, plant-based diets. He concluded by stressing the need to focus on younger generations.
In the discussion which followed, panelists and participants discussed: the importance of plant-based diets and the emissions impacts of beef production; the role of smallholder farmer co-operatives and the importance of land access; forms of food production which move beyond land-based agriculture; the cultural barriers associated with shifting meat consumption, particularly in Eastern European countries; criticisms of input-based models of food production and the importance of shifting mindsets towards circular food economies; and the dual burden of malnutrition across the world, through both micronutrient deficiencies and obesity.
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