As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) kicks off in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November, ProVeg International is set to push for transformational changes in the world’s food systems, underscoring the critical role that food plays in climate change. This year, ProVeg sees the conference as an opportunity for civil society to ensure that food systems are central in the fight against climate change.
ProVeg’s delegation in action
Juliette Tronchon, our Head of UN Advocacy, will be leading the ProVeg delegation. Juliette is accompanied by a diverse team, comprising Lana Weidgenant, Stephanie Maw, Joanna Trewern, Aline Baroni, Eileen Patricia Valy, Ignacia Saiz Lynch, and Youth Board members Harriet Klepper, Belinda Ng, and Altamush Saeed. The team’s central goal at the conference is to engage with parties from various regions in order to identify both barriers and opportunities for integrating dietary shifts and food-system reforms into the various countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security, and other critical frameworks and strategies.
COP29 Delegation INT UN Policy Social Media Post by ProVeg InternationalEngaging stakeholders and building stronger partnerships
Building on the momentum from COP28, ProVeg aims to make significant strides at this year’s event and continue the dialogue around sustainable catering at these conferences, particularly for COP30, along with the role of civil society. With COP29 as a springboard, ProVeg plans to cement itself as a key player in discussions around food-system transformation at the international level.
“It feels like there was a real shift at COP28, with governments formally recognising that sustainable food systems are pivotal to our fight against climate change. With the right political will and leadership, fanned by the determined advocacy of civil society, change is possible”, Juliette told FoodNavigator.
ProVeg’s pavilion at COP29 serves as a hub for establishing high-level partnerships with influential food-system players. By engaging with negotiators, civil society, and other stakeholders, ProVeg aims to align priorities and create impactful alliances that will endure well beyond the conference.
Youth engagement and collaborative events
ProVeg’s Youth Board members will also play an active role at COP29, collaborating with other youth-led organisations to host events and support pavilion activities. This engagement underscores the importance of youth voices in the climate dialogue, especially when it comes to food systems, and their impact on the planet’s future.
ProVeg has also lined up a series of side events to drive home its advocacy:
ProVeg COP29 EventsThe Action on Food Hub
This year, ProVeg, together with EIT Food and the Future Economy Forum, are introducing the Action on Food Hub – a unified space within the Blue Zone that places food systems at the heart of the climate conversation. The Hub will host various events during the conference, including a capacity-building session on 13 November, policy workshops on 15 and 18 November, and a side event on 16 November that will focus on the need for a just transition. By pooling expertise and resources, the Action on Food Hub aims to present a united front on food-system solutions and their indispensable role in climate resilience.
This initiative highlights a shared goal: to promote food-system transformation across the entire value chain, drawing attention to everything from sustainable agriculture to consumer awareness. By uniting different players under one roof, the Hub aims to foster dialogue, while accelerating innovative and actionable solutions.
ProVeg’s commitment to food-system transformation
ProVeg’s active participation in COP29 is a testament to our commitment to transforming food systems in order to mitigate climate change. The team’s dedication to building long-term partnerships, fostering policy change, and amplifying the voices of young people is making ProVeg a trailblazer in the food-climate space.
Stay tuned over the next two weeks as ProVeg continues to advocate for food-system transformation on a global scale. We’ll be providing regular updates on the pivotal conversations and developments taking place in Baku. Through this dedicated work, ProVeg seeks to inspire collective action, bridging the gap between our food systems and the urgent need for climate action.
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