On April 9, Mary Robinson gave a keynote address at the Global Food Systems Forum 2013, at the University of California, speaking about the impact of climate change on food and nutrition security in developing countries.
“Poor countries and peoples face an even greater challenge in the fight against hunger because of the extra burden arising from climate change,” Mrs. Robinson told guests at the forum, which gathered farmers, researchers, policymakers, environmentalists and economists within and outside the university to address how to sustainably feed 8 billion people by 2025.
Giving examples of the devastating impact climate change is having on the food security of the world’s most vulnerable people, Mrs. Robinson drew attention to:
- The floods, droughts and extreme weather events in Malawi, that she has seen first-hand as having a huge impact on an economy almost completely dependent on agriculture.
- The seven successive years of drought in the Horn of Africa that led to famine and starvation.
- The Small Island States, such as the Seychelles and the Pacific Island states, which face the stark reality that their countries will disappear under the sea if corrective action on climate change is not taken.
“Poor countries and peoples face an even greater challenge in the fight against hunger because of the extra burden arising from climate change” Mrs. Robinson told guests at the forum.
In attempting to improve this situation, Mrs. Robinson referred to ‘Hunger – Nutrition – Climate Justice 2013’, a listening conference that will bring together global policy makers with grassroots community members living on the frontlines of climate change and food insecurity. The conference takes place April 15-16 in Dublin Castle, Ireland.
“As we aren’t succeeding, despite decades of trying, we need to understand why. So we should start with a genuine exercise in listening to those we seek to help, before we design a new version of the solution to their problems as we see it,“ Mrs. Robinson added.
Related Links:
Download full speech by Mary Robinson
Hunger • Nutrition • Climate Justice Dublin 2013 – Official Conference website