FAO-CARICOM SIDE EVENT at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States Delivering concrete solutions for SIDS through the FAO Global Roadmap: Achieving SDG2 without breaching the 1.5 C threshold

 

Monday, 27 May 2024 | 14:00-15:30 EDT

Room 8 | American University of Antigua

 

Overview

 

Between 691 and 783 million people facing hunger in 2022 globally and more than 3.1 billion lack access to healthy diets. Concurrently, six of out the nine planetary boundaries are exceeding safe limits. Global agrifood systems are responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, 80 percent of deforestation, 70 percent of freshwater use, and are the single greatest cause of terrestrial biodiversity loss.[1] As a result, there is a perception that the goal of achieving food security and nutrition is at odds with that of reducing emissions, which fosters inaction and skepticism.

If all climate commitments in sectors other than agrifood systems were reached, the goals of the Paris Agreement would still not be met highlighting the need to invest in agrifood systems’ climate solutions.[2] Hunger, malnutrition and climate change are intrinsically interconnected because of the interdependence of climate, ecosystems, biodiversity and human societies, the strong interactions between nature and human health, and the common set of risks and vulnerabilities leading to disproportionate effects of climate change across societies and peoples.[3] The potential is enormous for dual impact meaning there are a multitude of opportunities to implement integrated action that can indeed drive progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) while furthering climate mitigation and adaptation measures.[4]

Failure to act is not an option for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) facing an existential threat from climate change, as well as food security and nutrition challenges, including undernourishment and overweight, obesity and diet-related non communicable diseases (NCDs). As one of the sectors most affected by climate change, losses from disasters account for nearly 7 percent of SIDS agricultural gross domestic product (GDP).[5] In addition, an estimated 52% of people in SIDS with NCDs die prematurely between ages 30 to 69.[6] According to the State of Food and Agriculture 2023, the hidden health related cost of unhealthy diets accounts for 70% of all costs or US$ 9 billion 2020 purchasing power parity (PPP).[7]  Moreover, the economic cost of two NCDs, diabetes and hypertension, was estimated in 2001 to be the equivalent of between 1 percent and 8 percent of the gross domestic product of some Caribbean SIDS.[8]

For this reason, the FAO presented the Global Roadmap: Achieving SDG2 without breaching the 1.5 C threshold- launched at the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 28) - at the margins of the first preparatory committee meeting for the 4th International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4) as a common framework to provide good food for all, for today and tomorrow. Spread across 10 domains of action with 120 actions and 20 milestones, the Global Roadmap aims to transform agrifood systems to achieve food security and nutrition, while simultaneously taking climate action following just transition principle that reduces inequalities, increases efficiencies and moves toward a global rebalance.

The Roadmap also corresponds to SIDS request for a secure future through, among other things, enhancing food security in the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) – a Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity.

While in its current form it is a global vision, it is part of a journey toward the regional and national levels. As the root cause of many of SIDS multifaceted, intertwined challenges are exogenous, a coherent mix of domestic and global actions are required. These actions must be accompanied by financing, as well as international coordination with strong partners.

One such innovative partnership, the COP27 Global Flagship Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN), can catalyze FAO and partners work in one of the domains of action, namely enabling healthy diets for all to reduce all forms of malnutrition, including non-communicable diseases, and catalyze climate solutions. For example, adherence to food based dietary guidelines could reduce premature mortality due to diet-related, non-communicable diseases, and have a significant climate mitigation impact including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 13 percent.[9]

This event aims to highlight how this framework can support SIDS to deliver on the ABAS, as well as to engage SIDS and partners to maximize the positive impacts of global initiatives- such as the aforementioned Roadmap-at the local level.

 

Proposed Agenda
	Welcome and introduction by the Moderator   Ms Angélica Jácome, Director, Office of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries (OSL), FAO
	Presentation of the FAO Global Roadmap Achieving SDG 2 without breaching the 1.5C threshold and how it can deliver concrete solutions for SIDS in the framework of Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS)   Mr Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, FAO
	Panel discussion Ms Mary Lou Valdez, Deputy Director, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Ms Chemora Mc Knee, World Food Forum Youth Policy Board (YPB) Member,  St Vincent and the Grenadines
	Q&A session
	Closing remarks   Mr Kareem Sabir, Senior Project Officer,  Sustainable Development, CARICOM Secretariat