Mariam Al-Muhairi: UAE to Host First Ministerial Dialogue on Building Flexible Water-Focused Food Systems during COP28 in Collaboration with Brazil
Abu Dhabi
Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Al-Muhairi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and the person in charge of food systems at COP28, announced the UAE's initiative to host the first-ever ministerial dialogue on building flexible water-focused food systems in collaboration with Brazil during the upcoming COP28 conference scheduled to take place in the UAE in November.
This announcement was made during her address at the World Food Day conference organized by the United Nations in Rome, Italy, where Her Excellency extended an invitation for international cooperation in designing and implementing climate action mechanisms due to the impact of environmental issues on everyone. She emphasized the need for international collaboration to address global food security challenges and underscored that COP28 would focus on launching a new era of comprehensive food financing.
In her speech, Her Excellency highlighted the UAE's commitment to providing a holistic solution to the climate crisis. The summit saw the presence of dignitaries such as the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, Alvaro Lario, Dr. Shaw Donio, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Sindy Hensley-McKinley, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
This year's World Food Day theme centered around "water." Her Excellency Al-Muhairi pointed out that the global agriculture sector is the largest consumer of freshwater, and the current food production methods are responsible for 33% of global emissions according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Regarding this, she stated, "The UAE, under its presidency of COP28, looks forward to collaboration, knowledge sharing, and idea exchange to create a unified solution that ensures no one is left behind. We must remember the harsh realities we will face if we fail to achieve water balance within our food systems."
She expressed her gratitude for FAO's focus on water during World Food Day and added, "We witness a noticeable increase in famines, destructive droughts, and floods as the world continues to be affected by the consequences of climate change. Feeding the growing global population fairly and sustainably cannot happen without effective water management."
She continued, saying, "Managing the rapid increase in food demand, production, distribution, and consumption is one of the greatest challenges we face in the fight against climate change. This will be a top priority at COP28, hosted by the UAE."
Her Excellency called upon the world to sign the "UAE Declaration on Food Systems, Agriculture, and Climate Action" to commit to aligning national food systems and agricultural strategies with nationally determined contributions, national adaptation plans, and national biodiversity strategies.
She added that during COP28 on December 10, 2023, the UAE, in collaboration with Brazil, will host the first-ever ministerial dialogue on building flexible water-focused food systems. This dialogue will bring together ministers, private sector companies, international organizations, and civil society to assess the resilience of water and food management within nationally determined contributions and national action plans.
Her Excellency said, "COP28 presents a crucial opportunity to transition from relief to climate-resilient development. We must invest in adaptation solutions with a focus on food and water management to ensure sustainable development. While we indeed face a significant challenge in ensuring the sustainability of our food systems and combating climate change, the spirit of inclusivity and collective responsibility should inspire us all to act. Our future and that of our children depend on it."
The annual World Food Day conference included special messages from Pope Francis and the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, both emphasizing the importance of global efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.