The Hunger Project Granted Observer Status for COP

Climate change is driving hunger around the world.

Farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America are already facing the impacts of extreme weather. Our global food systems account for about one third of greenhouse gas emissions. There is growing global recognition that we need to transform our food systems to mitigate the effects of climate change and create a world without hunger. 

This week at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, we were granted observer status to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This will allow us to attend the annual climate conference and provide our inputs—and, most importantly, the inputs of our community partners across Africa, South Asia and Latin America—into these critical processes. 

“Community-led initiatives recognize that local communities are pivotal actors in climate resilience and restoration. Integrating these programs into [our] strategies ensures that climate funding reaches the most affected communities, empowering them to drive change at the grassroots level,” said Dr. Regassa Terefe, Program Manager, The Hunger Project-Ethiopia

In each community where we work, we partner with local leaders to strengthen community resilience in the face of climate change, including measures to ensure access to water and initiatives to increase awareness of climate-friendly agriculture practice. 

We are closely watching the COP28 proceedings and will be looking for ways to ensure that community experiences, voices and ideas for action are front and center at future conferences. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we can leverage this observer status to demonstrate the importance of community-led climate action, particularly when it comes to transforming the food system. In my lifetime, there has never been more attention on this issue—or a more urgent need—than now,” said Tim Prewitt, President and CEO, The Hunger Project. 

Image: Ethiopia 2019 Photo for The Hunger Project by Johannes Odé