Events, Environment

Climate Week, NYC 2019: Climate Crisis and the Future of Food

New York | 25 September 2019

Food and agricultural production are significant contributors to, and heavily impacted by, climate change, but also offer opportunities for positive, transformative action. Despite a growing body of literature on climate change and agriculture, relatively little analysis has been done on climate change and food systems. This narrow focus on agriculture and climate prevents consideration of a broad range of promising mitigation and adaptation strategies, such as regenerative agriculture and agroecology, reducing agriculture and food waste, and improvement of public health. Narrowly targeted interventions have also limited impact at the wider system level where transformation is both possible and urgently needed. A broader food systems approach creates more levers and opportunities for radical change at scale. It also means that the full range of stakeholders can be engaged in the transformation required.

This Strategic Convening on the Climate Crisis and the Future of Food was held in New York City during Climate Week NYC 2019, and brought together 155 participants, including farmers, private sector actors, government, United Nations, civil society, journalists, and others, from 33 countries, to identify priority actions and opportunities for a collaboration between climate and food systems stakeholders to catalyze new ideas.