Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I‑CAN)

I-CAN Report on Biodiversity and Nutrition Synergies

The Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN) presents a new report that analyses the intersection of biodiversity and nutrition, "Biodiversity and Nutrition Synergies: Evaluating National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans for Integration." The report offers a comprehensive analysis of 192 National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), revealing the current state of nutrition integration in biodiversity policies worldwide.

The study highlights a significant gap: 62% of NBSAPs show no intentional connections between biodiversity and nutrition. It uncovers regional variations, with Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and East Asia and the Pacific demonstrating higher integration levels, though overall progress remains limited. It looks at how biodiversity and human health are connected. This study is a valuable tool for people working on both environmental and nutrition issues. It offers useful ideas to help make policies and practices better.

About the programme:

In 2022, GAIN began to implement a new generation of large projects targeting the entire value chain for selected nutrient-dense foods.

I-CAN was launched in 2022 during COP27 by the Presidency of Egypt, and is co-chaired by Egypt and GAIN, with core partners including WHO, FAO and the SUN movement. I-CAN gained significant attention in 2023, being featured at various high-level international events and mentioned by the Director-Generals of both WHO and FAO during COP28 in Dubai. In 2024, I-CAN will focus on providing national-level support to country governments.

Five Pillars of Action to Unlock the Potential of I-CAN in 2024:

1. Strengthening National Policies and Plans: I-CAN will focus on delivering targeted and tailored support at the country level, complementing national policies, plans and strategies. Examples of this include working with governments to integrate more nutrition considerations into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) or integrating more climate considerations into national nutrition plans.
2. Building a Strong Alliance: I-CAN aims to advance joint actions across countries and regions, connecting countries who are leaders in this space. We will support in building and executing multi-year engagement strategies with the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) process.
3. Improving Data on Integrated Action: As shown from the I-CAN 2023 baseline report, data and evidence on integrated climate and nutrition action is currently lacking. I-CAN will help drive research and monitoring efforts in this area, tracking progress to 2030 and beyond.
4. Mobilising Finance and the Private Sector: Financing is lagging behind policy, with private sector integration being one of the lowest performing areas in the space. I-CAN will work to unlock joint financing for climate and nutrition from Development Finance Institutions and private sector actors.
5. Becoming the ‘Go-To’ Place for Amplifying Efforts: I-CAN's ambition is to become the top platform for promoting, connecting, and advancing all efforts to improve climate and nutrition action.

Other Resources

• FAO’s I-CAN technical report: “Climate Action and Nutrition: Pathways to Impact”, text: “This report led by I-CAN partner, FAO, outlines the evidence and opportunities to integrate climate and nutrition action across four core systems: agri-food, water, health, and social protection.”
• I-CAN is formally hosted as a Climate and Nutrition Working Group under the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), which was launched in COP26 and is hosted by the Government of UK. The ATACH community has over 80 member states and 5 working groups, with resources available online. Click here to view I-CAN on the ATACH member page.