Food Tank calls it FoodCOP27

Danielle Nierenberg

Food Tank is helping co-curate programming at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP27—or, if you want to join me and other Food Tankers, it’s #FoodCOP27.

We’re calling it #FoodCOP27 because this conference—unlike any previous UN flagship climate summit—is recognizing the power of food and food systems in addressing climate change. Until this year, there has never been a food pavilion at a UN Climate Change Conference. This week, there’ll be at least four.

Food and climate are intertwined. Food systems are responsible for nearly a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. This means that food is one of the most urgent—and most powerful—ways to address the climate crisis. Growing crops more efficiently and regeneratively, working with nature rather than against it, can help preserve habitats that naturally absorb carbon and mitigate emissions, according to the WWF. Consumption, too—choosing a diet rich in plants and slashing food loss and waste all might help cut down emissions by nearly half compared to a business-as-usual approach.

When we ignore food systems, the climate suffers. People have been spotlighting the links between food and climate for generations, and it’s high time the U.N. and other organizations and governments around the globe finally recognize it, too. That’s why this #FoodCOP27 is so meaningful, and it’s why I hope you’ll join our movement. Become a Food Tank member today, and keep reading to learn about the events you can be part of from wherever you are.

One quick note: If you’ll be at COP27 in Egypt in person, we can’t wait to see you. Please email our co-founder Bernard Pollack at bernard@foodtank.com and we’ll add you to a list of specific private event invitations, receptions, dinners, and more.

A sneak peek of one of the exclusive events you can participate in: We’re co-hosting three private screenings of the documentary Food 2050 by The Rockefeller Foundation and Media RED. The film points a camera at 10 of the world’s most optimistic, audacious visionaries seeking to heal the planet and our bodies—and afterward, I’m moderating discussions with some of these innovators themselves, plus a delicious reception curated by Celebrity Chef Bobby Chin in collaboration with Resilient Cities Network, and incredible speakers including food sovereignty advocates, physicians, policymakers, and other leaders. These screenings are by invitation only, so if you’ll be at COP and want to be added to the list, let us know at bernard@foodtank.com.

(Danielle Nierenberg is the President of Food Tank and can be reached at danielle@foodtank.com)