Converging food systems and climate action: Insights from COP29

At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub co-hosted a series of side events dedicated to a systemic approach through the Convergence Initiative – launched at COP28 to align food systems transformation with climate action. These sessions brought together stakeholders, experts, and youth to share insights and foster systemic, collaborative, and inclusive strategies to tackle the intertwined challenges of food and climate.

A call for convergence

Held across prominent venues such as the Food and Agriculture Pavilion, NDC Partnership Pavilion, Nordic Pavilion, and Kazakhstan Pavilion, the side events highlighted the urgent mission of the Convergence Initiative: supporting the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement goals through harmonizing national and global efforts on food systems and climate action

These sessions underscored that convergence is no longer a choice but a necessity. Through real-world examples, technical expertise, and multi-stakeholder dialogue, participants demonstrated that aligning these two critical agendas is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and meeting the Paris Agreement targets.

As Dan Koivulaakso, Head of Unit for Growth and Climate at the Nordic Council of Ministers, stated, “Food systems transformation will have a powerful, positive impact on our environment and climate. Importantly, it can also benefit our health and well-being.”

Global partnerships: Building bridges for action

One resounding theme across the events was collaboration. Converging food systems and climate action is a complex task that demands partnerships across sectors and borders.

Amanda McKee of the NDC Partnership highlighted a growing demand, particularly from Least Developed Countries (LDCs), for help integrating food systems into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). McKee emphasized the need for rapid, coordinated support: “We have a network of partners ready to respond, ensuring that country-developed roadmaps can translate into actionable results.” This sentiment echoed the broader goal of the Convergence Initiative: fostering partnerships that work in harmony to deliver impact.

Building on this, David Nabarro from 4SD foundation emphasized that for meaningful, inclusive, and impactful change to occur, rural communities, urban populations, farmers, women’s organizations, and Indigenous leaders must see convergence initiatives meeting their needs. Their active involvement is key to making real progress.

Efforts like the Technical Collaborative Cooperative (TCC), introduced at COP28 to support the Emirates Declaration, and the ‘Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers’ launched by the COP29 Presidency and FAO, further exemplified this collaboration. The initiatives aim to create synergies between agriculture, climate and finance, breaking down barriers to progress.

Martial Bernoux from FAO aptly summarized the challenge: “With 90 initiatives tackling food systems, climate, and finance, the need for harmonization is clear. We must ensure these efforts complement one another, building the bridges necessary to tackle climate change, preserve biodiversity, and protect land.”

Financing the transition

With COP29 dubbed the "Finance COP," funding transformative change was front and center.

Marcus Hoffman of the Swedish Farmers Federation presented a thought-provoking case for innovative financing. He noted that transitioning Swedish food systems to fossil-free production would require an investment of just 1% of annual food expenditure – an investment achievable through small adjustments, such as minor price increases, to fund farmers’ efforts.

Raelene Martin from the International Chamber of Commerce spotlighted the stark inequities in global finance. She highlighted that approximately 65% of private sector climate funding flows to developed countries, leaving emerging economies underfunded despite their urgent need. Raelene called for systemic changes to unlock investments in these regions, emphasizing that without equitable financing, the momentum for convergence will falter.

These discussions pointed to a clear conclusion: equitable and accessible financing mechanisms are critical to transforming food systems while addressing climate challenges.

Stakeholders’ roles: A shared responsibility

Civil society and stakeholders shared their perspectives during various side events, discussing their roles and responsibilities in shaping policies and driving implementation for food systems transformation.

Science and Innovation

Scientific innovation emerged as a cornerstone of convergence efforts. CGIAR’s specialized centers, such as the International Water Management Institute and the Alliance of Biodiversity and CIAT, provide technical support for national processes, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Programs like AICCRA are scaling solutions such as climate-smart agriculture and innovative investment strategies, benefiting millions of smallholder farmers and demonstrating the power of science to bridge the gap between sustainability and resilience.

Shakuntala Thilsted from CGIAR emphasized that food systems transformation offers multiple entry points for integrating with climate action, requiring collaboration across diverse actors. She highlighted CGIAR’s efforts at regional and subnational levels to mobilize these interactions, stressing the need for policies grounded in sound data and robust analysis from both food systems and climate actions to guide integration effectively.

Youth Leadership

Youth leaders Helena Van Tichelen of YOUNGO and Xinyue Han (Cataleya), alumna of the Hub Youth Leadership Programme, brought an urgent perspective to the discussions. They emphasized the interconnected nature of challenges like finance, gender equality, and climate adaptation—and the role youth can play in breaking down silos.

They highlighted the Global Youth Statement, developed for COP29, as an example of bottom-up, inclusive advocacy. They called for green jobs, entrepreneurship training, and policies that amplify youth leadership. Their message was simple: youth must not only have a seat at the table but also the tools to drive systemic change.

Private Sector

The private sector was identified as a key driver of local action and global impact. Initiatives like the ICC Agri-Food Initiative seek to connect businesses with development institutions to promote sustainable practices.

Convergence Initiative: Piloting solutions

The events showcased success stories from Convergence Initiative pilot countries, Indonesia and Kazakhstan, which exemplify the initiative’s bottom-up, country-driven approach. Supported by the Government of the Netherlands, the Convergence Initiative emphasizes delivering tangible results by integrating food system strategies into climate plans and vice versa, while engaging all stakeholders at every step—from strategic consultations to policy adaptation.

As Wampie Libon from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, stated:
“What I find particularly valuable about the Convergence Initiative is that it's focused on really delivering actual results, revising food system strategies, integrating them into climate plans, and supporting key stakeholders. To be honest, we need everybody to take this forward. At each step, from strategic consultations to policy adaptation, we must build our capacity to tackle interconnected climate and food challenges head-on.”

Kazakhstan’s National Convenor, Nazgul Khatepova, shared insights into the country’s Convergence Action Blueprint, a roadmap designed to align food systems and climate action while setting measurable milestones. “This blueprint is helping us track progress and ensure we stay on the right path,” she explained.

Similarly, Indonesia’s Vice Minister of BAPPENAS, H.E. Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, emphasized the importance of sustainable food systems for reducing poverty, protecting natural resources, and enhancing human potential. He praised the Convergence Initiative for uniting these imperatives into actionable plans for a more just and resilient food ecosystem.

Özge İmamoğlu from Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry highlighted how the upcoming Convergence Initiative workshop in Türkiye will draw inspiration from previous pilot countries, leveraging Kazakhstan’s successful stakeholder collaboration and Indonesia’s locally-driven solutions to align food systems with climate goals.

Stefanos Fotiou, Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, captured the initiative’s essence, “For food systems and climate action to converge, we must embrace results-driven yet context-sensitive approaches tailored to each country’s needs.”

Scaling up the Convergence Initiative

The Convergence Initiative continues to gain momentum, with its transformative approach highlighted at other COP29 events like Accelerating Food Systems Transformation: A Collaborative Approach to Deliver on the COP28 Declaration on Agriculture, Food, and Climate and the Youth-led Climate Forum Dialogue on Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security and Water Resource Management. Addressing pressing global challenges such as rising hunger, growing emissions, and widening inequalities, the initiative focuses on one critical solution: coordination.

As Khaled Eltaweel of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub noted, “Coordination between food systems and climate tracks doesn’t happen automatically in most countries, yet it’s one of the low-hanging fruits to address interconnected challenges.” Supporting the Emirates Declaration and the Secretary-General’s Call to Action, the initiative aims to expand its reach to 20 countries by COP30, empowering countries to develop tailored, inclusive solutions and tackle the climate crisis head-on.