UNFCCC: Efforts to end world hunger must be aligned with tackling climate change warns UN's top climate change official Christiana Figueres on World Food Day

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), today said: “Food security and climate change are interlinked. Hundreds of millions of people are undernourished or face food insecurity, and climate change is making it harder to feed a growing population.”

“Aside from permanent shifts in climatic conditions which will affect farming, climate change is causing more and more extreme weather, for example tropical storms, floods and droughts which can push subsistence farmers and others living in food insecurity into dire circumstances.”

“If we are to sustainably feed the world’s population in the future we need to see action today that prepares farmers around the world for the impacts of climate change.”

But positive action is already taking place, it just needs to be scaled-up, Ms. Figueres continued:

“At the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, as part of the Momentum for Change initiative, we will showcase a set of activities that are working on the ground to curb emissions or help people adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change and improve their lives, also in the field of agriculture. By shining the light on such concrete examples of what exactly is possible, we can inspire policy makers and others to take action.”

Momentum for Change has already showcased activities such as CBA Namibia, which is pioneering farming techniques which will help adapt to climate change’s impacts. HARITA in the Horn of Africa also works to provide affordable insurance for farmers to improve their food security.

For further information and to schedule interviews with Christiana Figueres specifically on the issue of Momentum for Change activities, and for information on which “lighthouse activities” will be showcased in Warsaw, please contact Sarah Marchildon at momentum@unfccc.int.

 Press releaseChristiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), today said: “Food security and climate change are interlinked. Hundreds of millions of people are undernourished or face food insecurity, and climate change is making it harder to feed a growing population.”

“Aside from permanent shifts in climatic conditions which will affect farming, climate change is causing more and more extreme weather, for example tropical storms, floods and droughts which can push subsistence farmers and others living in food insecurity into dire circumstances.”

“If we are to sustainably feed the world’s population in the future we need to see action today that prepares farmers around the world for the impacts of climate change.”

But positive action is already taking place, it just needs to be scaled-up, Ms. Figueres continued:

“At the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, as part of the Momentum for Change initiative, we will showcase a set of activities that are working on the ground to curb emissions or help people adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change and improve their lives, also in the field of agriculture. By shining the light on such concrete examples of what exactly is possible, we can inspire policy makers and others to take action.”

Momentum for Change has already showcased activities such as CBA Namibia, which is pioneering farming techniques which will help adapt to climate change’s impacts. HARITA in the Horn of Africa also works to provide affordable insurance for farmers to improve their food security.

For further information and to schedule interviews with Christiana Figueres specifically on the issue of Momentum for Change activities, and for information on which “lighthouse activities” will be showcased in Warsaw, please contact Sarah Marchildon at momentum@unfccc.int.

 Press release