The United Arab Emirates, COP28, COP29 Azerbaijan, The World Bank, the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) co-hosted an event entitled ‘Advancing Climate Action through Sustainable Agriculture and Resilient Food Systems’ during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 22, 2024.

H.E Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, opened the event with a keynote speech highlighting the importance of sustainable food systems in the global climate agenda and how the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action, which was launched last year at COP28, has raised global ambition on this.

H.E said: “COP28 put food at the heart of the climate agenda, we must use this legacy to expand global cooperation in transforming food systems. Nearly a year on from its unveiling, the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action has the commitment of 160 nations. These nations have begun aligning their national food systems and agricultural strategies with their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP).

“The Declaration’s ambitious and action focused approach is making a substantial contribution to ensuring a food secure future and achieving the United Nations' second goal of 'Zero Hunger'. It is also building resilience to the impacts of climate change and protecting food systems across the world. Further to this, the Declaration continues to be recognised in numerous multilateral agreements, particularly within G7 and G20.”

H.E added: “The creation of the COP Presidencies Troika with COP28, COP29 and COP30 is an opportunity for the global community to be even more ambitious in domestic and international commitments.”

This event provided a platform for United Nations Member States and other stakeholders to share actions they have taken in their own national contexts to enhance their agriculture and food systems in light of climate change. It also offered an opportunity to share their perspectives on potential deliverables at COP29 and related fora.

Stakeholders highlighted key agriculture, food, and climate milestones that are crucial for maintaining momentum from COP28 to COP29 and COP30. 

H.E Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, CEO of 2PointZero said: “The UAE is committed to championing food systems innovations that are good for both people and planet, and the partnership on agricultural innovation that we co-launched with the Gates Foundation at COP28 is focused precisely on this objective. We are proud to be the first donor country from the MENA region to join the CGIAR's System Council, and in the coming years, we plan to work closely with the CGIAR and all of our global partners to develop and scale promising innovations that can help smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods in the face of climate change."

The FAO Director-General, Dr. Qu Dongyu, supported this point by noting that “The Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers provides an important platform to foster collaboration for action and greater coherence. FAO is pleased to host this initiative at its headquarters as part of the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation Partnership. We must ensure that agrifood systems are fully integrated into national climate and biodiversity planning processes and strategies.”

Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29 Azerbaijan: “As COP29 Presidency, the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers and the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate are our collective efforts to answer this call for action. These initiatives are designed not only to empower farmers and rural communities but to catalyze a broader transformation in how we approach food systems and climate adaptation. The COP29 Presidency remains deeply committed to ensuring that these initiatives serve as platforms for concrete, scalable solutions that will deliver real impact where it is needed most.

Stefano Gatti, Director General, Development Cooperation, Italy: “Italy is among the signatories of the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action and one of the founding Members of the Technical Cooperation Collaborative (TCC). We look forward to continuing this important collaboration with the UAE”.

The event placed special emphasis on Member States’ thinking around the role of agriculture and food systems in the next round of NDCs, NAPs, and NBSAPs, and how to accelerate all forms of finance to support this critical part of our climate transition.