High-Level Conference on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy
Securing world food security in light of the impact of climate change may be one of the biggest challenges we face in this century.
An estimated 850 million people in the world today suffer from hunger. Of those, about 820 million live in developing countries, the very countries expected to be most affected by climate change. Governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and other actors, must work together to address these challenges and to devise appropriate strategies and responses.
The recent thirty-fourth session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Conference, held during November 2007, called for a series of expert meetings and stakeholder consultations on climate change and bioenergy, to be followed by a High-Level Conference on World Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy.
The preparatory meetings were held January-April 2008 and the High-Level Conference will take place 3-5 June 2008. The High-Level Conference will be informed by work undertaken and findings which emerged from the expert meetings and stakeholder consultations, as well as new analysis undertaken by the Organization, as part of its regular activities.
This High-Level Conference has become even more timely in light of soaring food prices and the additional challenges this situation poses to achieving global food security. Many Heads of State and Governments have confirmed their attendance, as well as the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, transforming the June High-Level Conference into a true Summit on world food security.
