resilient food systems

Ministerial Session of the 2021 UN Food Systems Pre-Summit

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The Ministerial Roundtable of the 2021 UN Food Systems Pre-Summit explored the interlinkages between Rio conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification, as well as their positions in supporting the transformation of the food systems.

The session was commenced by Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, France Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, who highlighted the inseparable relationship between climate change and the current socio-economic and environmental affairs, and urged for collective actions at all levels through the Food System Summit and the three Rio conventions to build a sustainable future for all.

A moderated roundtable with Member States followed to discuss opportunities to build synergies between the Rio conventions on the environmental issues and bring remarkable impacts on combating global hunger and malnutrition. As emphasized, unsustainable agricultural practices are the driving causes of climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification, and these impacts, in turn, exacerbate poverty, food insecurity and conflict, etc. To break the vicious circle, all stressed governments’ paramount role in mainstreaming nature through political decision-making, and incentivizing all stakeholders into making environmental-friendly decisions in investment, business and consumption. In addition, it is essential for all countries to promote nature-based solutions in agricultural production and ensure all farmers can strengthen their resilience in adapting to the impacts of climate change and deliver more quality, healthy food in the market. Lastly, all highlighted the importance to rethink and connect the Rio conventions for delivering multi-beneficial actions on nature restoration and food system transformation.

Representatives of the three Rio conventions then provided their perspectives on the conventions’ principles, and underlined the importance to implement policies in a holistic and circular approach to account for the interlinkages between all environmental issues and social well-being.

Meeting: 2021 UN Food Systems Pre-Summit, Ministerial Roundtable on UN Food Systems Summit and Rio Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification

Date/Location: Wednesday, July 28, 2021; 03:00-04:30; Red Room, Rome, Italy

Speaker:

Dr. Martin Frick, Deputy to the Special Envoy, Food Systems Summit Secretariat;

Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France;

Ms. Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain;

Dr. Thongplew Kongjun, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agricultural and Cooperatives, Thailand;

Mr. Christian Hofer, General-Director of the Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland;

Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Pacific and the Environment Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), United Kingdom;

Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Ministry of Environment, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Egypt;

Prof. Dr. Rameesh Chand, Member of Nitiaayog, India;

Ms. Marije Beens, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Netherlands;

Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD);

Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity;

Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC);

Dr. Inger Andersen, Chair, UN Task Force and Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Written by: WIT-UN Intern Iris Sit

Second International Conference on Nutrition

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health_captionThe joint FAO/WHO Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) will be held at the FAO headquarteron 19th-21st November, 2014. A briefing was convened today to inform distinguished guests on the key objectives and expected outcomes.

Ms. Nishida mentioned the 1992 ICN as the first intergovernmental conferencedevoted solely to addressing the burden of malnutrition among countries. She acknowledged the first conference had brought hope in combating the global nutrition challenge, yet it is high time for ICN2 to review the past progress since reductions in hunger and malnutrition have been unacceptably slow in many countries. She summarized three key messages that will be echoed repetitively in ICN2: i) the necessity to increase nutrition levels, ii) good nutrition requires equitable and resilient food systems and iii) global action to end all forms of malnutrition is a good investment.

The expected outcomes of the ICN2 will guide the UN political declaration and technical framework of action. It will also reinvigorate international and intergovernmental cooperation on nutrition, incorporate nutrition-enhancing food systems into national policies and create a higher degree of policy coherence and global partnership, including the call to take up the “Zero Hunger Challenge”.

She mentionedthat the joint working group is currently developing a draft political outcome document as well as a draft framework for action, which guides the implementation of the commitment made to create better food systems.

Ms. Lartey stated that the conference will be convened at the ministerial level with high-level representatives, UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and policy-makers, as well as with private sector and civil society members participating in this conference. She noted ICN2 will not be an end in itself, but rather a continued process in the pursuit of having sustainable and wholesome nutrition in the global economy and global food system. At the end, she stressed the importance of addressing nutrition throughout the entire life cycle.

 

Meeting Title: Joint briefing on “The Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2)”
Speakers: Ms. Sharon Brennen-Haylock, Director, FAO Liaison Office in New York; Ms. Chizuru Nishida, Coordinator, WHO Department of Nutrition for Health; Ms. Anna Lartey, Director, FAO Nutrition Division
Date: 11 July 2014
Location: Conference Room 8, North Lawn Building, United Nations HQ, New York
Written By WIT Representative: Tracy Lau
Edited By WIT Representative: Marli Kasdan