CFS: HLF on Tackling Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Land Degradation through the Right to Food

High-Level forum on tackling climate change, biodiversity loss
and land degradation through the Right to Food

Venue: Red room, FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy

Date: 12 May 2025
Time: 09.00-17.00

Climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation all pose significant threats to the realization of the right to adequate food, impacting its accessibility, adequacy, availability, and sustainability core elements. They form a feedback loop, where climate change drives biodiversity loss and both contribute to land degradation. In turn, land degradation weakens the land’s ability to withstand climate impacts, making ecosystems less resilient to climate change while contributing to biodiversity loss. This cycle affects particularly persons and groups in vulnerable situations, especially those whose livelihood depends directly on agriculture and natural resources. As agrifood systems are weakened, communities experience greater food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty.

The HLPE note starts by showing the breadth of recent evidence on impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation on the progressive realization of the right to food. A legal and policy analysis reveals gaps in translating the objectives of the Rio Conventions into tangible protections for the right to food, particularly as climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation erode food security dimensions. The note then considers recent developments and concludes by making proposals that could support bridging this gap.

This Guidance note on integrating evidence-based solutions on hunger and poverty with climate action in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) has been shared within the framework of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. It has been referred to by various speakers during the High-Level Forum.

Agenda	Chairperson's Summary	Webcast
Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish	Chairperson's Summary	Morning Session Afternoon Session

List of speakers

Opening Remarks

Ambassador Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile Chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security

Mr James Stapleton Moderator, Senior Strategic Advisor, Bioversity-CIAT/CGIAR

Setting the Stage: Interlinkages between the Rio Conventions, Food Security and Nutrition and a Human Rights Perspective

Ms Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann Chairperson, HLPE on Food Security and Nutrition

H.E. Maryam Mariya Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Republic of the Maldives

Ambassador Bassam Rady Permanent Representative of Egypt to the Rome-based UN Agencies

Ms Rochelle Diver International Indian Treaty Council

Mr Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Nexus Building: Integrated Landscape Approaches to Support Rio Conventions and the Right to Food

Ms Madeleine Kaufmann Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland

Mr A. G. Kawamura Co-Chair, Solutions from the Land

Ms Macy Vigoda Director, International Land Coalition

Mr Lieng Li Director of the Land and Water Division, FAO

Ms Lilian dos Santos Rahal National Secretary for Food Security and Nutrition, Ministry of Development, Social Assistance, Family and Fight of Brazil

Financing and Investment for the Right to Food in the Context of the Rio Conventions

Mr Juan Carlos Mendoza Casadiegos Director of the Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division, IFAD

Mr Tom Bui Director of the Food Systems and Nutrition Division, Global Affairs Canada

Mr Matheus Alvez Zanella Senior Advisor, Global Fora, Global Alliance for the Future of Food

Conclusion: Outlook on the Role of the CFS and its Stakeholders for Strengthening the Right to Food in the Context of the Rio Conventions

Summary of discussion by the Moderator

Open round for interventions by the delegations

Concluding remarks by the CFS Chairperson

High-Level forum on tackling climate change, biodiversity lossand land degradation through the Right to Food