UN Rome-based Agencies and COP Presidencies mobilize for climate action and finance in fragile contexts ahead of COP29

The midpoint meeting between COP28 and COP29 emphasises climate-resilient agri-food systems as key to solving interconnected climate and food crises.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the COP28 and COP29 presidencies have today called for an urgent scaling up of climate action and financing for adapted and resilient agrifood systems in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

The call was made during a high-level Rome meeting in preparation for COP29. The Rome-based UN agencies, along with the COP28 UAE and COP29 Azerbaijan Presidencies, met with government ministers from key fragile and conflict-affected regions, donors, international financial institutions, multilateral climate funds, and a range of key climate, development, humanitarian, and peace partners. They met to outline measures to scale up climate action and financing for adapted and resilient agrifood systems in the world’s most vulnerable countries.

They also discussed how to address food insecurity and reduce reliance on emergency food aid interventions, including resilience-building activities such as providing farmers with the tools and inputs they need to produce food.

Extreme weather events such as droughts, hurricanes, flash floods, desertification, tropical storms, heatwaves, and erratic rainfall persist in driving acute food insecurity and inflicting severe damage in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Yet, the most vulnerable local communities receive the least resources to protect themselves and avoid losses and damages to their livelihoods. In some situations, a person in a fragile context receives 80 times less climate finance than someone in a non-fragile region.

According to the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), climate-related shocks, such as droughts and floods, mainly drove acute food insecurity in 18 countries, affecting more than 72 million people, most of whom were in fragile, conflict-affected, or post-conflict situations.

“We have the science to predict climate disasters and the solutions to help communities living on the frontlines of the climate crisis to prepare for them,” said Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director. “I was recently in Zambia, where I met desperate farmers who can usually grow enough to feed their families. This year they harvested nothing – their crops destroyed by a drought made worse by climate change. Climate finance and action are critical for these farmers. We must use the innovative tools at our disposal to predict risks and boost protection before these crises hit.”

Building and financing resilient agrifood systems in fragile and conflict regions, is crucial to address the interconnected climate and food crises while saving and enhancing the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and communities in places that are regarded as the hardest to reach.

“Investing in climate-resilient agri-food systems is crucial to tackling climate and food crises. Changing how we grow and consume food helps mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, protects biodiversity, prevents land degradation, and ensures food security for all, leaving no one behind. This change requires a package of solutions, including early warning systems, restoring ecosystems and soils, integrated water resources management, supporting local climate-resilient seeds and tools, cutting post-harvest losses, investing in infrastructure, and social protection, “ said QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General.

“With climate impacts accelerating, we urgently need to invest more in the millions of people who are at risk of permanently losing their ability to grow or access enough food,” said Alvaro Lario, IFAD President. “Even though these costs are estimated at between US$215 billion to US$387 billion per year, rural communities’ best chance of dealing with climate change is to adapt with more sustainable, inclusive and equitable food systems. This is also true in countries with fragile security situations, where these investments not only bolster resilience against environmental shocks but also strengthen local institutions and governance, promote social cohesion, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities.”

Last year, the COP28 Presidency introduced the landmark Climate Relief, Recovery, and Peace Declaration, a political recognition of disparities in climate finance and action based on fragility and conflict. The declaration was accompanied by a “package of solutions” including policy reforms and US$1.2 billion of targeted climate finance. The incoming COP29 Presidency has confirmed a focus on peace and achieving food security for all. The midpoint meetings in Rome were designed to follow up on the implementation of the Declaration and align work with COP29 priorities before world leaders convene in Baku.

The last session of the event focused on contributions to the COP29 agenda. It touched on the crucial issues of food security, water scarcity and safe access to land as - critical impediments in ensuring climate resilient agriculture in fragile settings.  The discussion highlighted that factors including security threats, infrastructure destruction, landmines and other security risks should be considered while designing and implementing projects to boost food security in fragile contexts.

The Senior Adviser of the Azerbaijan COP29 Presidency Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov said the event provided a crucial opportunity to collectively shape the upcoming climate summit's (COP29) Peace Day deliberations in Baku on the Peace and Climate Nexus and increase the inclusivity and voice of governments as well as UN agencies, other international organizations, academia and civil society in the planning and implementation of further steps ahead.

"As host of COP29, the discussions from this event will maintain political attention and advocate for operationalisation of efforts to increase actions, better match needs with funding but also capacity building opportunities, as well as with best practices in situations with high humanitarian needs and high climate vulnerability. Based on discussions we heard the focus on food security as well as such crucial areas for food security as water scarcity and safe access to land will serve as entry point at COP29 to organizing discussions and actions which can bear practical and solution-oriented outcomes in ensuring climate resilient agriculture in fragility settings” – said Amb. Iskandarov, taking stock from deliberations of joint event. While emphasising importance of having solutions not just “for” but also “with” and “by” the most vulnerable and high value of South –South cooperation in this regard Amb.Iskandarov praised the timely efforts by COP28, WFP and other partners in organizing this discussion.

His Excellency Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability of the United Arab Emirates, reaffirmed support for advancing this critical agenda: "It is very encouraging to see the level of commitment from governments, climate funds, and stakeholders towards implementing the COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace. We welcome the initiative of the UN Rome-based agencies to bring us together on practical outcomes for increasing climate action in agri-food systems, particularly in fragile and vulnerable communities leading up to COP29. This focus presents a critical opportunity to ensure that the COP process, which recently resulted in the momentous signing of the UAE Consensus by 198 parties at COP28, delivers for everyone. This historic agreement underscores our collective resolve to address climate challenges and paves the way for transformative actions worldwide."