Dispatch From UN Climate Change Conference: Saturday, Nov 12

Danielle Nierenberg

Danielle Nierenberg

Today is Agriculture and Adaptation Day here at COP27—a long overdue recognition of the critical importance of food systems as a climate solution.

We know the costs of inaction. We also know many solutions for more sustainable and equitable food systems. We need implementation.

Yesterday, speakers shared different pathways for doing so, including how to measure progress and boost effective food system solutions already at work. Many agreed that we must take a holistic approach to food system transformation.

H.E. Fridolin Besungu Cardinal Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, told me that "it is not enough to produce food. We need a new mindset."

Policies and mandates must look more holistically at the entire food system—not just agriculture—to better serve people and planet. This includes better compensating farmers for their work, rethinking subsidy programs, and encouraging private sector investment across sectors.

"Food is not like energy or transport. It's a very complex system. Food means different things to different people, different cultures," says Zitouni Ould-Dada, Deputy Director at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, on a UNFCCC panel. (Watch the replay HERE.)

We need to stop talking and start doing—and this is especially true now.

As EAT Founder Gunhild Stordalen told me today: "Let's all be very vocal about getting food systems into the outcome documents of this COP."

Here are some other important takeaways from COP27 negotiations and discussions:

A brutal reality came to light yesterday: Global fossil fuel emissions will most likely reach a record high in 2022, according to new data from the Global Carbon Project. Researchers say emissions do not yet show signs of declining.

"On our current course, without massive cuts in emissions, we’re going to exhaust our remaining carbon budget very, very quickly," Pierre Friedlingstein, a climate scientist at the University of Exeter, told the New York Times.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden took the stage at COP27 with a call to global leadership.

"Everyone has to act," President Biden said. "It’s a duty and responsibility of global leadership. Countries that are in a position to help should be supporting developing countries so they can make decisive climate decisions."

According to President Biden, there's a business case for climate action: "We're proving good climate policy is good economic policy." (You can listen to his entire talk here.)

Today is packed full of exciting Food Tank-convened discussions. This morning, I'm heading to the Nature Zone Pavilion to talk about Scaling Regenerative Food Systems as a Climate Solution (11am EET, 4am ET, 1am PT) with Rt Hon Lord Benyon, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom; Darci Vetter, The Nature Conservancy; Ezgi Barcenas, AB InBev; Marilyn Hershey, U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA) and Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer; Estrella Penunia-Banzuela, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development; Purvi Mehta, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and Fabio Luiz Guido, Itau Unibanco.

I'll be at the Food Systems Pavilion this afternoon talking about how food and agriculture systems can achieve the NDCs while meeting the needs of eaters and policy, as well as ways to build nutrient-dense global food systems. Featured speakers across four incredible panels include: Martina Fleckenstein, WWF International; Saswati Bora, The Nature Conservancy; Sara Farley, The Rockefeller Foundation; Lee Recht, Aleph Farms; Patty Fong, Global Alliance for the Future of Food; Million Belay, AFSA; Greg Garrett, Access to Nutrition Initiative; Josephine Okojie, BusinessDay, Food and Agriculture Writers of Nigeria (FAWON); Monica Yator, Indigenous Women and Girls Initiative; David Brandes, Planetary; Jillian Semaan, Ketchum; Michelle Tigchelaar, Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University; Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, Government of Egypt; Hanneke Faber, Unilever; and Mansi Shah, Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA). You can tune in live HERE.

And I'm so excited for a very special screening of the film "Food 2050" tonight at Buddha-Bar Sharm El-Sheikh starting at 6pm (Naama Bay). The screening will begin promptly at 7pm followed by a panel discussion. During the screening, you will experience a multi-course, sustainability-focused Asian-fusion menu curated by Executive Chef Arnold. Luminary speakers include Tom Leach, Media RED; Sara Farley, The Rockefeller Foundation; Rupa Marya, Physician and Author of Inflamed; and Matte Wilson, Director, Sicangu Food Sovereignty Initiative (SFSI). If you're at COP27 in person, we would be thrilled for you to join us for dinner and the screening, co-hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation and Media RED. (Register HERE and below!)

Once again, here is Food Tank's full schedule of events at COP27 so you can continue to follow along. I'll be sharing my personal highlights, roundup articles, key takeaways, and events you can't miss all next week

I'm grateful to have you along for this journey!

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