Scaling up nutrition in the face of a changing climate: SUN Movement at COP 25

For the first time ever, the SUN Movement attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change #COP25 which took place in Madrid, Spain. The conference was designed to take the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process.

Through a variety of engagements the SUN Movement, led by the presence of Gerda Verburg, Coordinator, SUN Movement, and UN Assistant Secretary worked to ensure that nutrition was integrated into climate discussions and to highlight that the discussion of food security does not happen in isolation and that the talk focuses instead on nutrition security. That it is not only about the quantity of food, but about the quality of food and it is only if we invest in people and planet alike that we will be able to build a great future. 

COP25 engagements built on the theme of ‘Nourishing people and planet together’, which was the focus of the 2019 SUN Movement Global Gathering held in Nepal, Kathmandu last month which acknowledged that globalisation, urbanisation, inequities, humanitarian crises and climate shocks are driving unprecedented negative changes in people’s nutrition around the world. Stemming this requires food systems to deliver nutritious, safe, affordable and sustainable diets for all, within sustainable planetary boundaries.

“The biggest challenge is make to the changes in mindset. Too often in government, but also in industry, and maybe also in households, people think that if you are food secure, if you have enough food you are done. but that is not the case… agriculture and food production should be focused on investing in people and of course farmers and entrepreneurs along the value chain. But we need to stop thinking about quantity and start thinking about quality.”

In a side event hosted together with the Government of Fiji at the Moana Pavilion titled ‘Scaling up nutrition in the face of a changing climate in small island developing states’ Gerda Verburg joined speakers: Hon. Minister Ferreir, Minister of the Environment and Housing, Government of The Bahamas; Mrs Maguire, Irish Ambassador to Spain and Dr Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, Team Leader, Climate Change and Health, WHO in an animated conversation on the importance of nutrition to the climate change discussions. Discussions highlighted that climate change is affecting all forms of malnutrition including overweight and obesity as well as micronutrient deficiencies, while the Hon. Minister Ferreir eloquently shared that climate change reminds us that we are all in this world together, no is off the hook.

More SUN @ COP25

Discussing #nutrition in the #ClimateDebate with @GerdaVerburg Happening now at #COP25 at <a

href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/TimeForAction?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#TimeForAction #COP25 pic.twitter.com/76beujgDXT

— Scaling Up Nutrition ☀️ (@SUN_Movement) December 6, 2019