GAIN@COP

Background

COP28 will be GAIN's third COP, and our first as an accredited NGO. At COP27, we participated in two key sessions on the Presidency programme (including the official high-level launch of the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition and a roundtable session on food security and climate), as well as a wide range of events in the Food Systems Pavilion, Food4Climate Pavilion, Food and Agriculture Pavilion, and other pavilions where food systems were featured. Highlights included the Food Systems Pavilion plenary event on nutrition and climate, and a side-event with the Government of Bangladesh and ICCCAD at the Bangladesh Pavilion.
 
We published a wide range of blogs and articles (all of which can be found on the GAIN@COP27 web page) and participated in media interviews and press conferences, all seeking to highlight the various ways in which climate and nutrition are linked - and how climate action can improve nutrition outcomes. We also co-signed a joint letter from the Food Systems Pavilion calling for stronger commitment to food systems transformation in the Koronivia negotiations, as they threatened to stall. 
 
During our two weeks at COP27, we had the opportunity to meet many colleagues and partners, notably at the Eat4Change Dinner co-organised by WWF, the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, the Rockefeller Foundation and GAIN. And we established new relationships with the UAE Presidency ahead of COP28, meeting officials at for a consultation and dinner event on the sidelines of the conference.

Road to COP28

The impact of malnutrition in
all its forms is estimated to be

US$3.5tn

each year...

cost

...and climate change is
predicted to cost

US$3.7tn

each year.

Building on the progress made for food systems at COP27, the last year has been a busy one for GAIN and partners. The UAE Presidency has been highly engaged in organising a strong food agenda at COP28, resulting in the first formal Food Day on the official programme.
 
Throughout the year, GAIN (along with many other partners) has given significant input into the Presidency's strategic planning, attending workshops in Abu Dhabi and participating in various consultations. GAIN supports the Presidency Initiatives planned for COP28 and will play an active role in promoting them and delivering on the objectives.
 
GAIN and partners also provided multiple submissions to the Sharm El Sheikh Joint Work on Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security, with a view to influencing the negotiating agenda at COP28.


 GAIN also had a presence at Africa Climate Week, the African Food Systems Forum, New York Climate Week / UNGA, CFS, the World Food Prize, the Micronutrient Forum, and Asia-Pacific Climate Week.

Strategy

GAIN Strategy for COP28

GAIN's Environment programme focuses on the two-way relationship between food systems and the environment. Food systems are a driver of environmental harm, and also a victim of climate change and the degradation of our natural ecosystems. To learn more about these linkages, please take a look at our Environment-Nutrition Infographic or watch our Interview Cruncher on Climate Change, Nutrition and Food Security. Our focus at COP27 was to highlight the importance of this two-way relationship to promote integrated action to achieve multiple outcomes across human and planetary health.
 
We will bring a similar message to COP28. Whereas last year we joined a global call to action, this year we will shift our focus to country-level implementation.

Presidency

Firstly, the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition addresses multiple ways in which interventions can be designed to benefit both climate and nutrition at national level. For example, it considers integration of nutrition in NDCs, NAPs, and other key climate policies - and, on the reverse, the integration of climate in key nutrition policies. This builds on the paper published in October 2023 about the current state of integration and opportunities to accelerate action. 

outcomes

Secondly, events at country pavilions offer the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders directly, as well as to share tangible examples of coherent action across food systems. Building on the success of last year's event at the Bangladesh Pavilion, we will seek further opportunities to engage with our national partners.

highlights

Thirdly, the official negotiations and the Presidency agenda on food systems present multiple entry points for country-level action, including the Leaders' Declaration, Alliance of Champions on Food, and the Sharm el Sheikh Joint Work on Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security. We will work with partners to amplify and support these initiatives, including in GAIN countries.

GAIN Events at COP28

Scroll through the list to discover all the events GAIN is leading and attending at COP28. Please also check out GAIN's work at COP27 and the initiatives we're building on here:

Gain Goes Green over a forest

As well as our letter to the stakeholders of COP26.

If you have any questions you can contact Oliver Camp at ocamp@gainhealth.org.

Event title

Description

Organiser

Date

Time

Location

Livestream

The Great Food DebateA debate on the role of animal-source foods and action required across production, consumption, and nutritionILRI, ProVeg1.12.202310:00-12:00Food4Climate PavilionView
I-CAN at the Egypt PavilionTBCGovernment of Egypt3.12.202310:00-10:45Egypt Pavilion 
Scaling up integrated actions to address malnutrition and climate changePavilion Event focusing on actions that can achieve co-benefits across nutrition and climate mitigation and adaptation.FAO3.12.202311:00 - 12:00Food & Ag PavilionView
I-CAN at the Food Systems PavilionPresenting the integrated nutrition-climate agenda with a view to highlighting win-wins and opportunities in greater coherence.CGIAR Nutrition, FOLU, FSP Partners
 
3.12.2023TBCFood Systems Pavilion
 
 
Building Climate-Resilient Health Systems through Partnerships like ATACHHigh-level event with WHO, ATACH, IsDB, and Member States discussing climate-health interactions and the Alliance for Transformative Action on Food (which hosts the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition).WHO, FAO, OHCHR, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA4.12.202313:15-14:45UNFCCC SE Room 5 
Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition ATACH event
 
An event led by WHO on the Health Pavilion day focusing on the Alliance for Transformative Action on Health, showcasing the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition.WHO4.12.202316:00-17:15WHO Pavilion
 
View
Breakfast event on animal-source foodsA debate-style invitation-only event to address some of the challenging complexities and nuances around the role of animal-source foods in healthy and sustainable diets.CGIAR, ILRI, SNV, FSP
 
6.12.202307:30-08:45Food Systems Pavilion
 
 
UNFCCC Sustainable Food Systems Futures EventAn official UNFCCC side-event in partnership with Clim-Eat and the Government of Vietnam, discussing the sustainable food system of the futureClim-Eat, GAIN, Government of Vietnam6.12.202313:15-14:45SE Room 8View
Cities leading the way on sustainable food and climate
 
A Presidency event highlighting the essential role of cities in ensuring nutritious, safe, sustainable food for allUAE Presidency, C40, ICLEI
 
6.12.202310:00-11:30One of 4x Presidency spaces 
GAIN-Government of Bangladesh Event: Climate change Adaptation in Bangladesh Agriculture and its financingAn event in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh on adaptation in agriculture and food systemsGAIN & Bangladesh MoA and MOEFCC8.12.202313:30-16:00Bangladesh Pavilion 
Connecting Climate Action and Nutrition: Paving the Way to Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems
 
An event where I-CAN will feature as a part of efforts to link climate and nutritionHealthy Diets Coalition, EDF, Nordic Council of Ministers
 
8.12.202319:30-20:30EU Pavilion (online only)View
Animal-source foods' contributions to healthy diets and sustainable food systems
 
A Pavilion event on animal-source foods and their impacts on health and the environment.IICA. Protein PACT, RedFlag
 
08.12.202313:30-14:30IICA Pavilion
 
View
Healthy and sustainable diets for nurturing people and planetA WHO Pavilion event on healthy and sustainable diets, featuring I-CANWHO, Brazil, Switzerland/OPN SFS Programme,  UN-Nutrition and WHO EURO10.12.202309:30-10:45WHO PavilionView
I-CAN Make a Difference: Innovative Solutions to Address Climate Change and MalnutritionA fire-side chat format on nutrition-climate links at national level, framed around I-CANUNFCCC, FAO
 
10.12.202310:00-11:00Global Innovation HubView
Sustainable Consumption, Diets, and FLW Presidency EventA Presidency event on healthy and sustainable diets and food loss and waste, taking an urban view and linking to the effects on rural areasUAE Presidency, TURFS10.12.202310:30-12:00One of 4x Presidency spaces 
Accelerating Transformation at the Nutrition-Climate NexusA high-level Presidency event on the links between nutrition and climate, and opportunities to accelerate action by taking an integrated approach to both issuesUAE Presidency, GAIN, SUN10.12.202313:00-14:00Connect Conference, Green ZoneNA
The role of livestock in meeting our global climate, food security and nutrition goalsA discussion on the challenges and benefits of livestock to climate and nutrition goals.

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Meat and Livestock Australia

10.12.202315:00-16:00Australia PavilionView
Tackling Micronutrient Malnutrition in a Warming World
 
A WHO Pavilion event on tackling micronutrient malnutrition through interventions including (but not limited to) fortification and biofortificationGAIN, SUN, UNICEF, WFP, MNF, ST4N, IFSBH10.12.202315:15-16:30WHO Pavilion
 
View
Food Systems & Healthy Diets for Climate ActionThe event will bring together experts and thought leaders to highlight the interconnectedness between food systems, health, nutrition, and climate. How can we eat for our health while preserving the health of our planet? What interventions can be put in place to promote sustainable food systems and just food environments?Nordic Council of Ministers with UN Coordination Hub10.12.202316:45 - 17:30Nordic PavilionView
Financing Nutrition for a Healthier Climate: The Power of Sustainable Diets

An event in the Food and Agriculture Pavilion discussing the crucial issue of finance for healthier and more sustainable diets

WHO11.12.202317:00-18:00

Food & Ag Pavilion

View
Health, Food and Climate: A Systems PerspectiveAn official UNFCCC side-event on the interlinkages between food, health and climateFinland, Nordic Council of Ministers, WHO11.12.202318:30-20:00SE Room 4, UNFCCC Pavilion 

Attendees from GAIN

Oliver Camp
Tanvi Sood

Discover all GAIN's Environment publications