COP 28 Resolution 33/57: Also, building a resilient food system that adapts to climate change impacts is vital for people to secure their livelihoods. In this regard, the COP 28 Presidency also launched the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action. The 153 national government (including the EU)signatories commit to several actions, including scaling up adaptation and resilience to reduce the vulnerability of all farmers, fisherfolk, and other food producers to the impacts of climate change, and promoting food security and nutrition by increasing efforts to support vulnerable people. They will review their collective progress at COP 29. Non-Party stakeholders contributed to this effort, bringing more than 200 leading organizations that signed the Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature and Climate.
Resolution point 33 from the UAE Global Climate Action at COP 28 in 2023 emphasizes the importance of building resilient food systems that can adapt to climate change impacts. The COP 28 Presidency launched the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action, with 153 national government signatories (including the EU) committing to various actions. These actions include scaling up adaptation and resilience efforts to reduce the vulnerability of farmers, fisherfolk, and other food producers to climate change impacts, as well as promoting food security and nutrition by supporting vulnerable populations. Signatories will review their collective progress at COP 29. Additionally, non-party stakeholders contributed to this effort by signing the Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature, and Climate, with over 200 leading organizations involved.
Positive Side:
Recognition of Importance: The resolution highlights the vital importance of building resilient food systems in the face of climate change impacts. By acknowledging this necessity, stakeholders are taking proactive steps to address the challenges posed by climate change to food security and livelihoods, demonstrating a commitment to ensuring the well-being of communities.
Collective Commitment: The participation of 153 national governments, including the EU, in the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture signifies a collective commitment to addressing climate change impacts on food systems. This collective commitment strengthens global efforts to promote adaptation and resilience, fostering cooperation and collaboration among nations.
Focus on Vulnerable Populations: The commitment to scaling up adaptation and resilience efforts to support vulnerable farmers, fisherfolk, and other food producers demonstrates a focus on equity and inclusivity. By prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations, signatories are working to ensure that adaptation and resilience efforts benefit those most affected by climate change impacts.
Negative Side:
Implementation Challenges: While the resolution outlines commitments to scale up adaptation and resilience efforts, translating these commitments into tangible actions may face implementation challenges. Issues such as resource constraints, capacity gaps, and coordination issues may hinder the effective execution of initiatives, potentially limiting their impact on building resilient food systems.
Complexity of Transformation: Transforming food systems to be sustainable, resilient, and climate-friendly involves navigating complex challenges that require multifaceted solutions. Ensuring effective coordination and collaboration among stakeholders, as well as integrating climate considerations into food system policies and practices, may pose implementation hurdles, potentially delaying progress.
Monitoring and Accountability: While signatories commit to reviewing their collective progress at COP 29, there may be challenges in monitoring and ensuring accountability for the implementation of commitments. Establishing robust monitoring mechanisms and accountability frameworks will be essential for tracking progress, identifying gaps, and holding stakeholders accountable for their commitments.
In conclusion, while Resolution point 33 at the UAE Global Climate Action at COP 28 highlights positive efforts to build resilient food systems and address climate change impacts on agriculture, it also underscores challenges related to implementation, complexity of transformation, and monitoring and accountability. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for effectively advancing efforts to promote sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.
