Baku hosts panel discussions Agri-Food Legacies from COP to COP

As part of COP29, the topic of climate change and climate-smart agriculture continues to be a special focus during the Food, Agriculture, and Water Day within COP29, Report informs.

On the eighth day of the international climate conference, panel discussions were held on the theme "Agri-Food Legacies from COP to COP: The Key to Achieving Global Climate Goals."

The event, held in the Blue Zone, discussed global climate commitments. Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), moderated the panel discussion.

Speaking at the event, Azerbaijan's Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov emphasized the importance of further developing the achievements made at international climate conferences. The minister noted that the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers aims to coordinate efforts to create sustainable agri-food systems worldwide.

Mammadov stated that the Harmoniya Initiative fully aligns with the goals outlined in the COP28 UAE Declaration and will play a crucial role in strengthening cooperation and advancing achievements in combating climate change. He added that this initiative will provide significant support to the process of creating a legacy of stronger, climate-resilient food systems by laying the foundation for permanent joint action and shaping the future of agriculture.

Mary Creagh, the UK's Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, and Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, along with other panelists, emphasized that COP conferences are increasingly focusing on agri-food systems as a critical sector in combating climate change and adapting to its impacts. They stressed the importance of fulfilling global climate commitments.

The event aims to identify synergies, share lessons learned, and promote accelerated action at national and regional levels to achieve global climate commitments under the UNFCCC. It is also seen as an opportunity to develop stronger cross-sectoral collaboration, streamline resources, and promote sustained attention to long-term goals.

The panel discussions continued in a question-and-answer format.