Integrating a food systems lens into urban climate resilience initiatives

I am honoured to be speaking today at COP 27 on Integrating a food systems lens into urban climate resilience initiatives

LGMA Pavilion – 12 November 2022, 15:00-16:30

Event hosts
ICLEI Africa, in partnership with FAO

Event description
The African urban population is expected to increase by 60% by 2030. There is currently misalignment of local and national policies that govern food security and climate adaptation, and a lack of surety about subnational governments’ role in supporting these agendas.

Most of the global strategies on climate adaptation and mitigation in cities focus on how to make clean energy and clean transportation the new norm. Whilst, efforts towards risk-sensitive sustainable food systems planning are still overlooked. Nevertheless, cities account for 70 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions of which food is among the top five largest contributors.

Rising food insecurity is especially relevant in this regard, with decreasing access to nutritious foods, resulting from price fluctuations and climate change induced supply disruptions. The interdependencies of food and climate, call for strategies that link food systems and urban resilience.

Developing coherent strategies for achieving food security and climate resilience for Africa’s growing populations has become a matter of urgency, particularly in light of the cascading impacts of climate change. Food systems have the potential to spearhead climate adaptation and mitigation while driving inclusive economic development. Achieving this potential, however, requires the combined efforts of multiple actors across multiple levels to develop local solutions to local problems.

The session will explore how food security priorities can be situated across multiple local plans and strategies and argues that there is a clear mandate for local governments to improve food and climate resilience as interdependent phenomena.

Speakers
1. Paul Currie; Associate Director: Urban Systems; ICLEI Africa - MODERATOR
2. Mr Divine Njie, Deputy Director of the Food Systems and Food Safety Division, FAO
3. Kobie Brand, Regional Director, ICLEI Africa
4. Mxolisi Kaunda, Executive Mayor, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
5. Ndiagne Diop, Maire, Commune de Bambilor
6. Souad Ben Abderrahim, Maire, Commune de Tunis
7. Manuel de Araújo, Mayor, Quelimane
8. Emmanuel Dennis, Senior Manager Policy and Partnerships at Evdence Action and Founder – Green Teams Initiative
9. Dana Omran; Regional Coordinator: Africa; Resilient Cities Network