Tuesday November 12 Opening Day
12:00 - 12:45
Towards equitable, humane and sustainable food systems COP
Join World Animal Protection’s Tricia Croasdell, Global Chief Executive, and climate action activist Nika Moeini, Executive Director, Youth Climate Save Canada, for a fireside discussion on why COP29 must acknowledge animal welfare and environmental sustainability are inseparable, and how we must all act to phase out factory farming and shift toward an equitable, humane and sustainable food system.
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16:00 - 18:00
Opening
The opening of the Action on Food Hub Pavilion will take place on Tuesday, November 12, from 16:00 to 18:00, in the Blue Zone at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan (Baku Stadium).
The Action on Food Hub Pavilion is located within the Delegation Pavilions (Zone E at the Blue Zone of COP29), Area B, Pavilion B21.
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18:00 - 19:30
High Level Side Event: Operationalising Global SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service: Resilient Prosperity in the face of climate crisis
At the heart of the global climate conversation are SIDS, which are facing an existential threat due to the impacts of climate change. Despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, SIDS face disproportionate and devastating consequences.
IIED's most recent research paper, Sinking islands, Rising debts and Redefining credit ratings for Small Island Developing States shows that the rising frequency and intensity of climate-induced disasters not only threaten their environmental integrity but have devastating economic consequences.
SIDS constitute two-thirds of countries experiencing the highest relative annual losses from such events, creating a ripple effect that manifests in escalating debt. More than 40% of SIDS are nearing or already in debt distress, and an alarming 70% surpass the debt-to-GDP sustainability threshold of 40%. Six SIDS have debt-to-GDP ratios exceeding 100%.
This debt crisis impacts more than just finances; it limits investment in social services, social
protection and resilience-building, exacerbating poverty and inequality. Furthermore, it hampers
progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by diverting funds to debt servicing.
For the SIDS, breaking free from this vicious cycle is not just an economic imperative but a question of survival. The interconnected challenges of climate change and debt require a concerted, multifaceted response. To address these challenges, the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), co-chaired by H.E. Gaston Alphonso Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Maldives led the development of a comprehensive solution: the Global SIDS
Debt Sustainability Support Service (DSSS).
This side event will explore how the approach under DSSS can be operationalised and scaled up. The purpose of this side event is to build a coalition of diverse stakeholders, fostering a unified approach to reforming the international financial architecture to be more responsive SIDS unique needs and vulnerabilities. Discussions will highlight climate financing challenges, emphasising the need for innovative funding sources and mechanisms that address the specific climate vulnerabilities of SIDS. A critical focus will be on credit rating reform, advocating for methodologies that reflect SIDS’
climate risks and resilience investments, enabling more accessible and affordable finance. The goal is to create a comprehensive strategy that can help SIDS respond to current and future economic and climate challenges and new shocks, ensuring long-term sustainable and resilient growth.
Co-Organisers: Co-Chairs of the Strategic Advisory Group, H.E. Gaston Alphonso Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Maldives and International Institute for environment and Development (IIED).
Sessions at the Roundtable and Policy zones start on Wednesday November 13.
Sessions at the Roundtable and Policy zones start on Wednesday November 13.