Embracing our commitment to influence global narratives around food systems transformation, the Global Alliance is thrilled to actively contribute to a multitude of in-person and virtual sessions during this year’s Climate Conference of the Parties (COP 28) negotiations. Convening in the UAE from 30 November – 12 December 2023, COP28 UAE brings the world together at a critical moment for global transformative climate action. Please find a line-up of events featuring Global Alliance members, frontline food and farming leaders, and our Secretariat team, including Patty Fong, Program Director, and Vivian Maduekeh, Program Coordinator.

These events have now passed.

Food Systems Pavilion (Blue Zone)

The Global Alliance is co-hosting the Food Systems Pavilion in partnership with the IKEA Foundation and MacDoch Foundation. We will be organizing or speaking at several events, which will be available via Livestream here:

COP28 Food Systems Call to Action
1 December 2023 | 15:30 – 16:30 UTC+04:00

To achieve the Paris Agreement and keep 1.5 alive we need ambitious food systems transformation. Why do we talk about “food systems” and what are the implications for climate targets, the pushback and the solutions? What must parties and non-state actors achieve at COP28 to make this happen? This session will outline what successful and ambitious outcomes on food systems mean for COP28 and beyond. 

Patty Fong will be a guest speaker. This event is hosted by FOLU in collaboration with the Food Systems Partnership members. More information here. 

EMBRACE Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology
2 December 2023 | 9:30 – 16:30 UTC+04:00

On this day, the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, IKEA Foundation, and Macdoch Foundation are hosting five 60-minute sessions dedicated to agroecology and regenerative agriculture. More information here.

Session 1: Power Shift: weaning industrial food systems off fossil fuels
This session will explore how fossil fuel dependency is holding back food systems transformation and opportunities to collaborate on decarbonizing and transforming our food systems to be more equitable, healthy, and resilient. 

Plenary: Ensuring Integrity: Who owns, defines and verifies regenerative food & agriculture systems?
This session will explore the challenges of turning commitments into holistic principles-based outcomes, including the leadership needed in requiring accountability, ensuring publicly available evidence and data, and enforcement. 

Session 2: Tackling Greenwashing: data to inform decision-making by farmers, businesses and policy-makers
This session will explore the role and importance of data, measurement and disclosure frameworks as catalysts for greater transparency, accountability and providing pathways for better business and environmental performance in agriculture and food systems. 

Session 3: Making the Case for Regenerative Agriculture & Agroecology: the business case and the role of finance in supporting the transition
This session will examine the importance of the business case for producers to transition, and emphasize the crucial role of finance in expanding the impact of regenerative agriculture and agroecology.

Session 4: People & Places: agroecology and regenerative approaches from the ground up
Join us for an inspiring session as we hear from landscape leaders at the heart of transformation. Through captivating case studies and compelling storytelling, we’ll explore the power of regional approaches in achieving sustainable food systems.

Dietary Justice: Can we achieve nutrition and climate goals without animal agriculture?
6 December 2023| 7:00 – 8:30 UTC+04:00

This breakfast meeting will present opportunities for a nuanced discussion around the role of animal-source foods (ASFs) in our food systems. Together, we will address how we can balance the nutritional importance of milk, meat, eggs and fish with the numerous environmental challenges associated with their production on an industrial scale. This session aims to explore these complexities amidst changing dietary trends and global food systems.

Vivian Maduekeh will be a guest speaker. The event is co-hosted by CGIAR, GAIN, ILRI, and SNV. 

Money Talks: What’s holding us back to better harness climate finance to build resilient food systems?
6 December 2023 | 14:00 – 15:00 UTC+04:00

The session will bring together diverse stakeholders from donors, investors, the private sector, farmer representatives, and civil society to discuss how public and private finance can better support climate adaptation in local food systems in Africa. Discussions will explore opportunities within traditional sources of adaptation finance and more innovative approaches to financing local food systems adaptation, such as blended finance. 

Patty Fong will be a guest speaker. This event is co-hosted by FMO, IDH, ILRI, Rabobank, SNV and World Food Program. More information here.

Food and Agriculture Pavilion (Blue Zone)

The Global Alliance is co-hosting a number of events in the Food and Agriculture Pavilion, which is co-sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. The following events will be available via Livestream here. 

Accelerating Regenerative and Agroecological Transitions – A Philanthropic Theory of Transformation: How 20+ funders are aligning to unlock the resources needed to shift food systems
1 December 2023 | 12:30 – 13:30 UTC+04:00

Unveiling the first-ever global price tag for the cost of regenerative and agroecological transitions, underpinned by regional case studies, outlining global and national priorities for scaling up investment in landscape transformations around the world, making the case for alignment and coordination to meet global targets. More information here. 

Power Shift: Why we need to wean industrial food systems off fossil fuels
5 December 2023 | 09:30 – 10:30 UTC+04:00

A moderated panel discussion with frontline perspectives from regions around the world will uncover how unsustainable food and energy systems are impacting their communities and what type of collaboration is needed to support more impactful strategies and better-integrated climate financing. More information here.

Resilience Hub (Blue Zone)

Regenerative and Nature-Positive Agriculture: An avenue to build climate-resilient food systems
10 December 2023 | 13:30 – 14:30 UTC+04:00

The session will focus on on-the-ground good practices that are sharable, investable and/or scaleable. Integrating regenerative and nature-positive practices into agriculture policies and practices can improve resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate change on agriculture. This session will also discuss the value of traditional knowledge and the need to incorporate ancestral practices into adaptation measures.

Patty Fong will be the opening speaker and moderator. This event is co-hosted by iDE, SRI, and WTT Ventures. More information here.

NDC Partnership Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Pathways to Financing, Scaling and Accelerating NDC Ambitions in Energy and Food Systems Transformation
3 December 2023 | 15:30 – 16:30 UTC+04:00  

This event will highlight two keynote speakers to present philanthropic and financing initiatives at the forefront of mobilizing investments for fossil-free, regenerative food systems and reducing food loss & waste that work for people and the planet. The Global Alliance will share highlights from a new report, which maps how food and energy systems are intertwined, quantifies the fossil fuel dependency of food systems, and explains why these two systems are crucial to keeping global warming below 1.5C. FMO will underscore the Paris Agreement and food security connection, and share methodologies and current practices including the use of biowaste for energy generation to reduce food waste and reduce fossil fuel dependency.  

Vivian Maduekeh will be the opening speaker. The event is co-hosted by CGIAR, FMO, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, IKEA Foundation, Rabobank, and SNV. More information here.

Health (WHO) Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Methane Mitigation and Health: A global health strategy
9 December 2023 | 15:15 – 16:30 UTC+04:00

This session will bring stakeholders from the waste, energy, agriculture and public health sectors together to discuss methane’s impact on climate change and to discuss the linkages to health in the energy, food, and waste sectors. The session aims to discuss solutions and a way forward to address methane emissions, and the opportunities for health from both short and long-term methane mitigation strategies. 

Vivian Maduekeh will be a guest speaker. The event is co-hosted by Abt Associates, Global Climate and Health Alliance, and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food. More information here.

SDG7 Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Improving Rural Livelihoods with Sustainable Cooling & Decarbonized Food Systems
10 December 2023 | 09:00 – 10:00 UTC+04:00

Access to sustainable cooling for rural communities can accelerate SDG 7, support climate change adaptation and mitigation, and catalyze equitable, resilient development for rural populations in a warming world. But achieving the benefits of sustainable cooling – from the productive use of energy, efficacy of vaccines, and more nutritious food, requires a holistic set of solutions.

The IKEA Foundation will represent the Global Alliance as a guest speaker on the Power Shift report. The event is co-hosted by CLASP, Sustainable Energy for All and the World Bank. Access the Livestream here. More information here.

France Pavilion (Blue Zone)

Tackling the triple crisis: How sustainable agriculture can deliver on climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development
10 December 2023 | 09:30 – 10:30 UTC+04:00

This event will underscore the crucial contribution of the agriculture sector to addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development. Farmers, policymakers, businesses, NGOs, and UN agencies will come together to exchange insights on how to transform agriculture to deliver on the objectives set forth by the three Rio conventions and Agenda 2030.

Patty Fong will be the moderator. This event is co-hosted by the Agroecology Coalition, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the FAO. More information here.

COP28 Presidency Events

Cities Leading the Way on Sustainable Food and Climate
6 December 2023 | 10:00 – 11:30 UTC+04:00
Location: Women’s Pavilion Majlis, Green Zone

This session will demonstrate leading action from mayors and city leaders, supported by new tools and approaches. Cities will also issue a call to action to national governments on integrating food in the NDCs, showcasing their ongoing efforts and achievements.

Patty Fong will be a guest speaker. This event is co-hosted by the COP28 Presidency, C40, HLC, and ICLEI. More information here.

Accelerating Food Systems Transformation: Multi-stakeholder Action
10 December 2023 | 14:15 – 15:40 UTC+04:00
Location: Al Waha Theatre, Blue Zone

Actors from across the food system will, together, launch a ‘Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature, and Climate’ building on previous work in food systems, which sets out the critical actions needed to transform food systems by 2030. The event will also showcase action already happening to implement the Call to Action, identify gaps, and feature announcements to support this transformation. All actors in food systems need to work together to scale action urgently.

Vivian Maduekeh will be a guest speaker. The event is co-hosted by the COP28 Presidency and Climate Champions. More information here. 

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If you are a journalist covering COP28, Global Alliance spokespeople are available for comment and interviews. Please contact katie.dominy@digacommunications.com / comms@futureoffood.org.