Summary
As the second week of COP28 began, focus throughout the conference shifted to the future: to youth and laying the groundwork for greater entrepreneurship and innovation that will be necessary to address global challenges. At the Pavilion, the theme was interpreted in a series of thought-provoking events which ran from creative to high-level. Solutions and insights drew from the energy of the youth to the wisdom of indigenous communities and smallholder farmers. At the halfway point for the conference, the day also allowed space for attendees to pause and ask themselves, what will success from COP28 look like? Where do we go from here?
Highlights
Following a day of rest and with the arrival of delegates for COP28’s second week, the Pavilion was once again a hub of activity, with a robust day of programming convened by the co-hosts and their partners:
- IFAD hosted an event to present evidence about the contribution of smallholder and family farmers to sustainable food systems, while contributing to climate actions. It highlighted the need for secure land rights and access to finance in order to invest in more sustainable agricultural practices and healthier livelihoods. Learn more.
- CGIAR held an event that featured work in Kenya in partnership with the Centre for Minority Rights and Development (CEMIRIDE), whereby community members shared their own solutions for equitable climate change adaptation. The event also identified complimentary approaches such as social protection that in circumstances may be required to enhance marginalized groups (women and indigenous peoples) access to resources, services, institutions, and economic opportunities. Learn more.
- FAO held an event to disseminate findings of a global assessment on livestock’s GHG emissions and a report on methane emissions in livestock and rice systems, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the scale of the challenge and pathways forward to achieve the Paris Agreement and the Global Methane Pledge. It also featured best practices from partners to spotlight the tangible success in sustainable livestock management, showcasing technological advancements and innovative approaches to reduce emissions. Learn more.
- The Rockefeller Foundation hosted an event that built on Regen10’s farmer-centric alignment work on regenerative agriculture outcomes to promote discussions on what corporations need to do to deepen their commitments to deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits for people and the planet through regenerative agriculture. Learn more.
- IFAD held an event that combined passion, innovation, and creative arts to empower rural youth and young agri-preneurs in their mission to combat climate change and drive innovation in agriculture. The session featured dance and storytelling, to spotlight the pivotal role of youth in climate action. It also showcased the powerful synergy between youth-led climate advocacy and agricultural innovation, featured discussions with young participants, technical specialists, and international organizations, highlighting the transformative potential of creative arts in conveying the urgency of climate action and engaging younger audiences effectively. Learn more.
- The Rockefeller Foundation hosted an event that provided a dedicated space for COP28 participants to engage in open discussion among food system stakeholders to reflect together on what success at COP looks like and whether things are on track to achieve that success. Moreover, attendees considered what else needs to be done to ensure success before COP draws to a close, and looked ahead to how to lay the groundwork for better collaboration as attention turns ahead to COP30. Learn more.
- CGIAR and World Food Programme held an event that launched a new partnership to support food system innovators in fragile contexts through science-driven entrepreneurship. The session highlighted and broke down systemic issues surrounding access to finance for green entrepreneurship in Africa; showcased solutions from development finance, agricultural research, and the humanitarian sector to catalyze investments into African food, land, and water systems, increased awareness of the potential of cross-sectoral collaboration between finance, research, and entrepreneurship to identify and scale green solutions, and convened audience members to identify common goals to foster collective action. Learn more.
Videos and photos
Watch recordings and see photos from the Pavilion on December 8. You can also visit the COP28 Food and Agriculture Pavilion YouTube playlist to see all recordings from the Pavilion.
Beyond the Pavilion
COP28 news
- New research published by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) at COP28 reveals the huge impact of livestock emissions on the climate: livestock agrifood systems – which include cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens – are responsible for 6.2Gt of CO2eq emissions (The Guardian, FAO). Read more here and here.
- Funding for a joint effort by the United States and United Arab Emirates to advance climate-friendly farming around the world has grown to more than US$17 billion (Reuters). Read more here.
- COP28 Loss and Damage Fund could threaten the cash that is needed for climate change adaption (Reuters/Taipei Times). Read more here.
- One hundred Indigenous leaders and allies have written a letter to Cop28 delegates asking them to ensure Indigenous Peoples’ rights are secured in the context of the increasing demand for minerals mined for energy storage, electrified transportation batteries, and other green energy technologies (Cultural Survival). Read more here.
- Australia pledges AUS$100 million (US$67 million) for the Pacific Resilience Facility, a trust fund set up through the Pacific Islands Forum to invest in small-scale climate and disaster resilience projects, and AUS$50 million (US$33 million) for the Green Climate Fund (The Guardian). Read more here.
