Climate change and malnutrition are two of the greatest challenges facing humanity today, both interconnected through agrifood, water, social protection, and health systems. Integrated actions that simultaneously address both climate change and malnutrition can provide one solution to two of our biggest barriers to sustainable development.
Please find here under a list of the FAO-supported COP28 events relevant to nutrition. Registration and/or livestreaming links will be added as they become available.
SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER
- 11:00 (GMT+4) - Scaling up integrated actions to address malnutrition and climate change: an intersectional and intergenerational dialogue
Venue: Food and Agriculture Pavilion
Organizers: FAO, World Food Forum and Slovenia
Recording: coming soon
FAO is collaborating with partners to present advancements made in the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN) and its work to catalyse integrated actions that address the challenges of climate change and malnutrition simultaneously. The event will also illustrate progress made by the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Initiative and its operationalization into the FAST Partnership. The session will present youth-led country examples of integrated actions related to agrifood systems, water, social protection, and health systems, highlighting youth efforts to advance nutrition action in the context of a changing climate.
MONDAY 4 DECEMBER
- 13:15 (GMT+4) - Building climate-resilient health systems through partnerships like the ATACH
Venue: SE Room 5
Organizers: WHO, FAO, OHCHR, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNU
Recording: Available
This side event will spotlight collaborations and partnerships aimed at scaling up initiatives for the coherent and sustainable transition, construction, and maintenance of future climate-resilient health systems. - 17:00 (GMT+4) - Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition
Venue: Health Pavilion
Organizers: FAO, WHO
Recording: coming soon
Through coordination and collaboration, the ATACH Working Group on Climate Action and Nutrition strives to foster collaboration to accelerate transformative action to address the critical nexus of climate change and nutrition. Climate change is impacting food systems, health systems, social protection systems and water systems - all of which are fundamental for good nutrition. At the same time, inefficiencies and maladaptation in these four systems are further contributing to the drivers of climate change, namely greenhouse gas emissions and the degradation of natural resources. This session will bring actors in agriculture systems and health systems together and forge stronger partnerships to meet mutual objectives. will discuss actions that need to take place to advance collective work on the intersection of climate change, nutrition, and health.
FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER
- 13:15 (GMT+4) - Connecting climate action and nutrition: paving the way to healthy diets from sustainable food systems
Venue: virtual
Organizers: FAO, EDF, Nordic Council of Ministers
Registration link: Available
This event will provide a platform to highlight interventions that are driving a transition to sustainable food systems and encourage consumers to choose sustainable and healthy diets. Examples include food-based dietary guidelines (such as the Nordic Council’s New Nutrition Recommendations), public food procurement policies, responsible marketing, tax incentives and reducing food loss and waste.
SUNDAY 10 DECEMBER
- 10:00 (GMT+4) - I-CAN make a difference: Innovative solutions to address climate change and malnutrition
Venue: UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub Pavilion
Organizers: I-CAN, FAO
Registration link: Available
This side event unites policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to discuss the Global Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN). Opening with a representative from the Government of Egypt highlighting I-CAN's significance and achievements, an impactful video sets the stage for a high-level "fire-side chat." World Food Prize Laureate Lawrence Haddad will interview H.E. Ms Penelope Beckles, Minister for Planning and Development, Trinidad and Tobago, and René van Hell, Ambassador for Sustainable Development, the Netherlands. They'll explore policies and partnerships for co-benefits in climate and nutrition, sharing insights. The event includes an interactive session on practical tools for integrated actions in food, water, social protection, health, and nutrition.
- 13:00 (GMT+4) - Accelerating transformation at the nutrition-climate nexus
Venue: Connect Conference
Organizers: FAO, GAIN, SUN Movement
Livestream: coming soon
This event will discuss these relationships between climate action and nutrition. Its conceptual foundation includes the principles of the COP27 Presidency Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN), developed by the Government of Egypt in partnership with WHO, FAO, GAIN, SUN, the UN-Nutrition secretariat and others. This session will also build upon similar events held in the run-up to COP28, including the Africa Climate Week, African Food Systems Forum (AGRF), UNGA/New York Climate Week, the Committee on World Food Security, the Borlaug Prize Symposium, the Micronutrient Forum, and Asia-Pacific Climate Week (TBC). These side events will represent many platforms to mobilise, connect and advocate for, and ultimately catalyse, integrated climate and nutrition action.
MONDAY 11 DECEMBER
- 17:00 (GMT+4) - Financing nutrition for a healthier climate: the power of sustainable diets
Venue: Food and Agriculture Pavilion
Organizers: Rockefeller Foundation, FAO, WHO
Livestream: Available
The Paris Agreement highlights the importance of integrated, holistic and balanced non-market approaches to support countries in implementing their NDCs while meeting their sustainable development commitments. This session explores how existing mechanisms can comprise non-market approaches and discusses country experiences in the Global South.
For more FAO-supported events on other topics, visit FAO at COP28