UNFCCC COP29 Blue Food Side Event

Aquatic foods for climate action: Showcasing solutions to increase ambition

Blue or aquatic foods are a critical climate solution to supply low-carbon, high-quality nutrition for the growing global population. They hold enormous potential for increasing food security and economic growth in developing countries, while providing critical adaptation and mitigation solutions to climate change. It was in this context that the 2023 UNFCCC-mandated annual Ocean Dialogue event selected “fisheries and food security” as one of two topics for deep-dive discussions. The Dialogue called for the integration of aquatic food climate solutions into both national and multilateral climate policies and actions. The Dialogue outcomes were subsequently welcomed in the COP28 decision on the Global Stocktake (Decision -/CMA.5). Moreover, the COP28 UAE presidency launched a political Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action that refers explicitly to sustainable aquatic food and has so far received endorsements from 160 countries. However, climate financing for this sector is falling far short of needs: adaptation financing is currently only $0.22 billion/year, compared to an estimated need of $4.8 billion/year by 2030. 

To increase ambition, this side event will showcase the commitment of UNFCCC Parties, climate funders, and international organizations in spurring climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience actions for blue foods – be it through investment, inclusion in NDCs, or implementation of policies and programs. This event will also present the NDC-fish guidelines illustrating how the aquatic food sector can be an integral part of national efforts. 

The expected outcomes include: (i) a high-ambition group of champions to strengthen blue food climate action at national and international levels; (ii) increased awareness of aquatic foods as critical climate solutions; (iii) identification of practical pathways for further integration of aquatic food into UNFCCC work including Global Stocktake, Global Goal on Adaptation, NDCs and NAPs, as well as other climate instruments and processes; and (iv) dissemination of good practices and lessons learned from countries and regions that can be replicated elsewhere. 

Speakers at this event include:

• Dr. Essam Yassin Mohammed, Director General, WorldFish
• Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director, CGIAR
• Dr. Kristin Kleisner, Environmental Defense Fund
• Sue McCluskey, Special Representative for Australian Agriculture, Australia
• Diogenes Lemainski, Coordinator for Technical and Commercial Issues, International Advisory Office, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Brazil
• H.E. Dr. Sok Silo, Secretary General, Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, Cambodia
• Dr. Joel Onyango, Team lead Blue Empowerment Initiative, ACTS, Kenya
• Dr. Pio E. Manoa, Deputy Director-General, Forum Fisheries Agency
• Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, Zambia
• Dr. Valerie Hickey, WorldBank
• Dr. Georgina Kemp, IDRC, Canada
• Dr. Manuel Barange, Assistant Director General, FAO

This side event has been made possible through the Worldfish and includes the ongoing partnership with Organizers WorldFish, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), Aquatic Blue Food Coalition, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), European Bureau for Conservation and Development (EBCD), Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO), Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions.