After a year in which extreme weather around the world has contributed to soaring commodity prices, humanitarian disasters and political instability, an independent global commission of senior scientists and high-level government advisers will announce via an audio press briefing the immediate and simultaneous action steps necessary to confront the threats to food security brought on by climate change, rising populations, chronic poverty and volatile markets.
The recommendations—a result of a rigorous 11-month process by the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change—will be announced ahead of pivotal policy meetings such as the upcoming UNFCCC COP17 in Durban, South Africa and next year’s Rio+20 conference.
The Commissioners—eminent scientists with a wide range of scientific backgrounds in agriculture, climate, ecology, economics, trade and nutrition/health—hail from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, France, India, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam; the Commission is chaired by Sir John Beddington from the UK.
Convened in February 2011 by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, the independent Commission is charged with building evidence-based consensus on a clear set of interventions across the entire food system, from production and trade to nutrition, food waste, and finance.
Speakers
Dr Bruce Campbell, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)
Prof Sir John Beddington, UK, Chair, Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change (CSACC)
Dr Adrian Fernández, Mexico, Commissioner
Dr Megan Clark, Australia, Commissioner
Prof. Judi Wakhungu, Kenya, Commissioner
