AO Director-General QU Dongyu led a delegation to the first high-level segment of COP28 in Dubai, UAE, highlighting the critical role of agrifood systems in addressing climate change.

During the World Climate Action Summit, which was attended by food and agriculture leaders, Qu advocated for global agrifood systems as essential for climate solutions, emphasizing their role in achieving sustainable development goals and addressing food security challenges. He expressed support for the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action.

FAO also launched a report on Loss and Damage in Agrifood Systems, which summarizes the climate change-induced loss and damage to global agrifood systems, urging for urgent mobilization of finance. The release of the report coincides with the coinciding with COP28's decision to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund agreed to be created at COP27. Qu recognized initial pledges for the fund and stressed the importance of mobilizing finance urgently because of the intensifying threat of climate change-induced loss and damage to global agrifood systems.

Overall, Qu's message at COP28 emphasized the importance of transforming agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable to address climate change and achieve food security for all

[www.fao.org]