Putting food front and centre of COP28

Understanding the opportunity 

Global climate discussions frequently focus on topics such as transport and energy. They neglect other major emitters, like the global food system, responsible for a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Shifting towards healthy, balanced and plant-rich diets is one of the most effective ways to curb climate change, yet it’s rarely recognised as part of the solution.   

The Food4Climate Pavilion, comprised of 20 global partners, ran for its second year at COP28. In preparation, it needed to raise awareness about the widespread harm our global food system creates and get people talking about their inclusive, science-based solutions.  

Bridging the gap 

As Food4Climate encompasses a range of global organisations, creating one coherent and impactful voice was central to our approach. We created unique messaging that carved out a distinct voice for the Pavilion and accurately reflected the motivation of all partners whilst having the potential to engage a diverse set of global stakeholders. 

In the run-up to COP28, we combined proactive and reactive press activity to advocate for food system transformation, positioning Food4Climate as a group of dynamic leaders spearheading change.  

This laid solid foundations for the conference, which we supported on the ground to ensure that food was at the heart of the conference and that the Pavilion was driving the debate.  

Engaging audiences 

Food was not only a footnote in climate change conversations – we were also tackling a highly competitive media landscape with many voices looking to influence the COP28 narrative. This made it essential to stand out from the crowd and target key audiences with new and innovative perspectives. 

This saw us employ a range of tactics to get people talking about food, targeting different audiences with content that resonated. We newsjacked national conversations to engage the public, secured briefings for publications that targeted policymakers, started new conversations by placing op-eds in trade media, facilitated interviews on the ground at COP28 in Dubai and released statements as events unfolded at the conference.  

As food can be a highly polarised topic of discussion, the key to our approach was conveying a message of collaboration and adopting a solutions-focused tone to unite people, not divide them. We also sparked new conversations around food, opening debates about giving marginalised voices a platform to ensure that a just food transition benefits everyone. 

Building value 

After decades of being left out of climate change summits, the tide turned at COP28. Significantly more attention was paid to the role the food system plays in warming our planet, and we ensured that the Food4Climate Pavilion was a positive driving force for discussions. We raised awareness of the Pavilion on a global scale, securing coverage across 16 countries and 5 continents, and established it as a leading voice on the transformation of food systems. 

Coverage highlights include: The Guardian, Reuters, The National, Khaleej Times, Financial Times Sustainable Views, ESG Mena. Global reach with coverage spanning 16 countries and across 5 continents