This November, CIWF is joining forces with over 20 organizations – including ProVeg International, Food Tank, FOUR PAWS, IPES-Food, and A Well-Fed World – to host a pavilion dedicated to highlighting the urgent need for food system transformation at COP27 in Egypt.

The role of food in climate change has never been so important, and the Food4Climate Pavilion is one of the first pavilions dedicated solely to food system change. Without fixing our food system, it will not be possible to tackle the growing climate emergency. The pavilion will highlight the urgent need for world leaders to take action before it’s too late.

World leaders gather to fight climate change

From November 6^th to 18^th, delegates from nearly 200 UN member states will attend COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh to agree on measures to address the climate crisis.

Along with our partners, CIWF will be hosting daily talks and presentations at the Pavilion on issues relating to the role food plays in climate change. We want to focus significant attention on the vital need to transform how we produce, consume, and waste food in order to avert a climate disaster.

Food system change is crucial to hit climate targets

The UN has set ambitious climate targets for world leaders. The Paris Agreement commits members to strive towards the target of 1.5°C as a maximum global temperature rise.

Science shows that these climate targets will not be met without urgent food system change including shifting away from animal-sourced foods, adopting agroecological practices, and reducing food loss and waste. The global food system is currently responsible for a third of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), but animal-based foods emit twice as much CO2 as plant-based foods.

Debbie Tripley, Global Director of Campaigns and Policy, commented: “Without urgent action by world leaders to fix the global food system we won’t tackle the climate emergency. We have to phase out industrial animal agriculture, shift to nature and climate-friendly farming systems, and reduce the overconsumption of animal-sourced foods. This is the only way we will provide a fair global food system that benefits animals, people, and our planet.”

You can read more about the Food4Climate pavilion and the schedule of events here.