Global Progress at the Nexus of Hunger, Nutrition and Climate Justice

The Hunger, Nutrition and Climate Change conference on 15-16 April, brought together over 100 participants from across the world representing their communities and created an energized environment and could provide a new model for international debates.

April 20, 2013 - Last update: July 4, 2022

Through the use of innovative technology – including electronic voting and a convening technique that involved linking high level international figures with on the ground experts and ‘learning circles’- the organizers made an impressive effort to ensure the voices of affected communities were captured. These important learnings and on-the-ground stories will be shared by the Irish EU Presidency during a series of critical meetings on nutrition, climate change, sustainable development and the post-2015 international development agenda.

Experts from diverse backgrounds and countries spoke passionately about the importance of good nutrition and argued for its firm positioning within the post-2015 development framework- and showed strong support for the SUN Movement as the type of model required for achieving sustainable impact.

Through the event, high-level speakers and community leaders talked about the importance of addressing hunger, nutrition and climate change as issues of justice with full and equal participation of the communities with are most affected. SUN Lead Group members, including Mary Robinson, Ertharin Cousins, Andris Piebalgs and Jay Naidoo all played champion roles for nutrition – reminding the participants that there will be no justice until every child in every community can grow up well-nourished and able to reach their full potential.

Throughout the two day event, Mr Tony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF and SUN Movement Chair, emphasized the importance of innovative thinking. From virtual movements to the SUN Movement, Mr Lake urged actors to ‘educate, agitate and organize’. UNICEF also launched their new report Improving Child Nutrition: the achievable imperative for global progress in Dublin, which reveals the possibility and necessity for continued progress against stunting and child malnutrition

Dr David Nabarro, Coordinator of the SUN Movement helped wrap up the conference by sharing his recommendations for the UN Secretary General as a result of the experiences shared. Dr Nabarro stressed the need for concerted efforts to refer to hunger justice, climate justice and nutrition justice in all communications to ensure the true urgency and imperative to take action on these issues is captured and discussed – and action is taken. He also outlined a series of principles for moving the agenda forward which include a people-centered approach, alignment of our efforts and a focus on results.