Official COP28 side-event: Health, food and climate action

Host: Finland, Nordic Council of Ministers, World Health Organization (WHO)

Date & time: 11 December 18:30 - 20:00 (Dubai/GMT+4)

Room: Side Event Room 4, Blue Zone, COP28, Dubai

Health, food & climate must be embedded in climate action. A just green transition; alliances across nutrition & climate communities; as well as a common narrative around climate, nutrition, and food, will be key. A systems approach for the health of our bodies & planet is needed across borders. 

Food is part of our everyday lives and plays an important part in cultures across the world. But the food we consume is also connected to our health and to the climate.  

Nutrition is the foundation for healthy lives, and we need to ensure that everyone has access to healthy and sustainable diets. Research shows that healthy diets are also more environmentally sustainable. The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 (NNR2023) is one of the globally leading scientific reports showing the interlinkages between healthy and sustainable diets, and the many synergies that exist. WHO has issued guidelines for healthy and sustainable diets, in line with the guidance of NNR2023, that show the imperative of taking action to include health perspectives in the climate agenda.  

At this official COP28 side-event, you will hear from experts, researchers and policymakers about the challenges, solutions and benefits that exists in connecting health, food and climate. Welcome on 11 December!

Opening

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization  (video greeting)  

Karen Ellemann, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers

High-level panel

Host: Karen Ellemann, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers

Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Climate and the Environment, Finland

H.E. Dr Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of the Arab Republic of Egypt 

Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General for Food Sustainability, DG Sante, European Commission (online)

Dr Francesco Branca, Director, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization

Lana Weidgenant, Youth representative, The Coalition of Action on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems for Children and All 

Research insights

H.E. Dr Getahun Garedew Wodaje, Director General of the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority (EEPA)

Moderator: Dr Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, GAIN

Dr Rune Blomhoff, Professor, Oslo University, Project Leader of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

Dr Madhuvanti Murphy, Senior Lecturer and Researcher, University of the West Indies

Concluding remarks
Helina Teklu, Chief Executive Officer, Seed Balls Ethiopia
 

The official side event will be live-streamed at the UN Climate Change events channel.

More information and speakers will be announced soon. To keep posted about the official side-event and other food systems related activities from the Nordic Council of Ministers at COP28, please sign up for news updates via email and/or WhatsApp.

The side-event is part of a bigger Nordic effort for healthy and sustainable food systems.