A panel discussion on “COP to COP Agrifood Legacies: A Key to Achieving Global Climate Goals” was held as part of COP29, held on Food, Agriculture and Water Day.

The high-level event highlighted the importance of COP-to-COP collaboration to ensure that agriculture is properly addressed in international negotiations and that adequate climate finance contributions are made available to support the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems.

Moderator of the meeting, Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighted during the event that agri-food systems are essential to global food security and provide employment for over one billion people. He emphasized that while this sector is highly sensitive to climate change, it also significantly contributes to it. FAO research indicates that nearly 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the agri-food sector.

Speaking at the event, Majnun Mammadov, Azerbaijani Minister of Agriculture, underscored the importance of building upon the achievements of international climate conferences. The minister noted that the "Baku Harmonia Initiative for Farmers" aims to align global efforts to establish sustainable agri-food systems worldwide.

Mary Creagh, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, spoke of the Global Methane Pledge launched at COP26 to catalyse action to reduce methane emissions.

The other speakers highlighted future priorities, expressing that serious attention should be paid to initiatives related to food security, climate and natural crises, and welcomed the "Baku Harmony Climate Initiative for Farmers" which will contribute to achieving the joint targets of the COP29 Presidency.

The panel discussion then featured a Q&A session.