One CGIAR @ COP26

Research and Innovation
for Food, Land and Water
Systems Transformation

  • Date
    31.10.21 > 12.11.21
  • Time
    09:00 am > 05:00 pm
  • Location
    Glasgow, UK
  • Registration

Six years after the Paris Agreement was signed, Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are expected to gather this November at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, UK to step up their commitments to reduce emissions by 2030 through updated pledges on their National Determined Contributions (NDCs), and further deploy climate adaptation actions. Without a deep transformation of food, land, and water systems, the prospect of keeping global warming well below 2˚C above pre-industrial levels is unlikely to materialize.

CGIAR, the largest public global research partnership for a food-secure future, whose mission is to deliver science and innovation that advances the transformation of food, land and water systems in a climate crisis, has a remarkable 50-year record of accomplishments collaborating with partners to translate groundbreaking research into tangible development outcomes. Climate-adaptation and mitigation actions are central to CGIAR’s research-for-development agenda, and part of ongoing efforts to achieve zero hunger, build the resilience of more than 300 million small-scale farmers, and reduce agricultural greenhouse gases – transforming food systems from net carbon sources to sinks.

Click on the links below to learn more about CGIAR’s climate-focused innovations and future Initiatives, or scroll down to find out where to catch CGIAR at COP26.

Climate Initiatives
Climate Innovations

Calendar

Click on an event in the calendar to view details.

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
Week 1

Water Pavilion

Oct 31 Nov 1

Nov 2

World Leaders Summit

Nov 3 Nov 4

Side-event: Net Zero

Nov 5 Nov 6

Nature Day

Side-event: R&I for Systems Transformation

Side-event: Aquatic Food Systems

Week 2

Water Pavilion

Nov 7 Nov 8 Nov 9

Side-event: LMICs

Side-event: People, Nature & Climate

Nov 10

2nd part of the High-Level Segment

Side-event: Livestock Systems

Nov 11

Side-event: Asian mega-deltas

Nov 12 Nov 13

 

High-Level Engagement

November 2: World Leaders Summit

Catch Kundhavi Kadiresan, CGIAR Managing Director, Global Engagement and Innovation, during the UK intervention in the World Leader’s Summit. Streamed on the UNFCCC website (no registration necessary).

November 6: Nature Day at the UK Pavilion

Catch Claudia Sadoff, CGIAR Managing Director, Research Delivery and Impact, at “Accelerating a just rural transition to sustainable agriculture for people, climate and nature,” at the UK Pavilion on Nature Day. For registered participants attending COP26 in person.

November 10: Second part of the High-Level Segment

Claudia Sadoff, CGIAR Managing Director, Research Delivery and Impact, will make a short statement during the second part of the High-Level Segment, at approximately 15:30 GMT. Streamed on the UNFCCC website here (no registration necessary).

Events

Events hosted and co-hosted by CGIAR are listed below by date.

Duration of COP26
PAVILION:

Water and Climate Pavilion
November 1–12 All day Blue Zone
  About: This space will conduct a mix of small in-person events alongside streaming of virtual events, which will be broadcast via YouTube to be accessible to a wide global audience. Pavilion programming during each day will be curated according to a particular theme, such as “Adaptation and Resilience” and “Disaster Risk Reduction.” IWMI is a core partner for the pavilion and will co-lead more than 15 pavilion events throughout COP26, and will lead the curation of events on “Food and Agriculture Day,” November 9.  
  Registration and joining details: To see the full program of events at the Pavilion, click below.
View program
November 4
VIRTUAL EVENT:

A Net Zero Beyond Climate: Turning Commitments Into Action
Thursday, November 4 19:00–20:00 GMT Virtual
  About: Over 15 countries globally have developed climate-smart agriculture investment plans to identify specific financing needs to meet climate commitments. This side event will look across these plans to highlight lessons learned and opportunities for leveraging public, private and blended finance.  
  Speakers: TBA
  Registration and joining details: Missed the event? Watch it on YouTube.
November 6
OFFICIAL SIDE-EVENT:

Actions to Transform Food, Land and Water Systems in a Climate Crisis
Saturday, November 6 15:00–16:15 Virtual
  About: Research and innovation in food, land and water systems are crucial elements of the efforts needed to achieve global climate goals. This side-event will outline demand-side perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for climate adaption in these interlinked systems, and present innovative solutions at different geopolitical levels. Panelists from a wide range of backgrounds will weigh in on the solutions presented in an engaging “talk show”-format discussion.  
  Speakers:

  • Claudia Sadoff, Managing Director, Research Delivery and Impact, CGIAR
  • Beth Dunford, Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, AfDB
  • Martin Fregene, Director, Agriculture and Agro-Industry, AfDB
  • Aly Abousabaa, Regional Director for CWANA, CGIAR and Director General, ICARDA
  • Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Research Director for Climate Action, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT – CGIAR
  • Theresa Wong, Natural Resources Officer, FAO
  • Ishmael Sunga, Chief Executive Officer, SACAU
  • Kunal Pranad, COO and Co-founder, CropIn
  Registration and joining details: Registered COP26 participants with access to the Blue Zone can log in to the COP26 Virtual Platform to view the event. The platform allows engagement with the speakers, eg during Q&A. If you are not registered for COP26 you can view the webcast by clicking on the button below.
View webcast
OFFICIAL SIDE-EVENT:

Towards a Shared Blue Prosperity Under Changing Climate
Saturday, November 6 13:15–14:30 Forth Room
  About: This side event will share a novel framework and evidence to realize a shared blue prosperity through aquatic food systems under changing climate.  
  Speakers:

  • H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
  • Prof. Saleemul Huq, Director, ICCCAD
  • Shakuntala Thilsted, winner of the 2021 World Food Prize
  • Gareth Johnstone, Director General, WorldFish Center
  Registration and joining details: Registered COP26 participants with access to the Blue Zone can log in to the COP26 Virtual Platform to view the event. The platform allows engagement with the speakers, eg during Q&A. If you are not registered for COP26 you can view the webcast by clicking on the button below.
View webcast
November 9
PAVILION EVENT:

Water and Climate Smart Agriculture for Adaptation
Tuesday, November 9 10:15–11:15 Water Pavilion
  About: Scientific evidence can help improve the sustainability of water use in agriculture and enhance climate adaptation and resilience. With opening remarks from IWMI Director General Mark Smith, this event will present potential agricultural water management practices that have a proven ability to enhance water resilience, increase yields and, where possible, reduce emissions. Convened by CGIAR, FAO, WLE and CCAFS.  
  Speakers: Speakers include Olufunke Cofie (IWMI) and Alok Sikka (IWMI).
  Registration and joining details: More information is available through the link below.
View program
OFFICIAL SIDE-EVENT:

Addressing Financial and Capacity Barriers for Climate Resilience in Low-to-Middle Income Countries
Tuesday, November 9 11:30–12:45 Forth Room
  About: Low- and middle-income countries, on the frontline of climate impacts, have inherent strengths, vast adaptive capacity and opportunities for climate-resilient development. Effective adaptation actions require collective mindsets, investments at scale and the adoption of proven, locally led, inclusive approaches.

This event, co-organized by SNV, the Government of the Netherlands, NDC Partnership, GAFF, PACJA and CGIAR, brings together policymakers, the private sector and NGOs to share best practices that have proven to adapt to climate change, are locally inclusive and have the potential for scaling.

 
  Speakers: TBA
  Registration and joining details: Registered COP26 participants with access to the Blue Zone can log in to the COP26 Virtual Platform to view the event. The platform allows engagement with the speakers, eg during Q&A. If you are not registered for COP26 you can view the webcast by clicking on the button below.
View webcast
OFFICIAL SIDE-EVENT:

Transforming Agricultural Innovation for People, Nature and Climate: A Global Action Agenda
Tuesday, November 9 11:30–12:45 Lomond Auditorium
  About: New partnerships, business models and approaches are essential to increase the pace and scale of delivery of innovation to meet SDGs related to food and climate. This event will showcase a Global Action Agenda to catalyze a step change in agricultural innovation for people, nature and climate.  
  Speakers: 

  • Andy Jarvis, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
  • Graham Thiele, International Potato Center
  • UK government representative (TBA)
  • Brazilian government representative (TBA)
  • Lisa Sweet, World Economic Forum
  • Ishmael Sunga, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions
  Registration and joining details: More information is available through the link below.
Learn more
PAVILION EVENT:

Water Resilient Food Systems: An Essential Pathway in the Face of Climate Change
Tuesday, November 9 13:00–14:30 Water Pavilion
  About: This session will bring together policy and law makers, farmers and water professionals, financiers, insurers and donors, implementers and researchers from across water and food systems who are tackling challenges of the climate and biodiversity crises. The opening framing will highlight the challenges faced by ministers and law makers in small island states such as Hawaii. The Riverside Chat will then explore these issues in more detail drawing on experience of leaders from different settings from across the world. In the final part of the session there will be a call to action followed by a focus on solutions that can be used to help build resilience in food and water systems. Convened by IWMI, AGWA, CGIAR, FAO, GRP, and IUCN.  
  Speakers: Marcel Andriesse, James Dalton, Cynthia Barzuna Gutierrez, Thomas Iseman, Hubert Jenny, Julie Ladel, Lifeng Li, Rachael McDonnell, John Matthews, Ronnie Murungu, Sulton Rahimzoda, VKV Ravichandran, Andrew Roby, Karen Ross, Claudia Sadoff, Mark Smith, and Michael Wilson.
  Registration and joining details: More information is available through the link below.
View program
November 10
OFFICIAL SIDE-EVENT:

Towards Sustainable Livestock Systems
Wednesday, November 10 13:15–14:30 Virtual
  About: Sustainable livestock systems are crucial to achieving many global goals. There is great diversity in livestock systems and no easy solutions. Though many actions have been identified, how can we improve implementation? This event shares lessons from different countries and varied livestock systems.  
  Speakers: TBA
  Registration and joining details: Registered COP26 participants with access to the Blue Zone can log in to the COP26 Virtual Platform to view the event. The platform allows engagement with the speakers, eg during Q&A. If you are not registered for COP26 you can view the webcast by clicking on the button below.
View webcast
November 11
VIRTUAL EVENT:

Locally Led Adaptation for Climate Change Resilience
in Asian Mega-Deltas
Thursday, November 11 TBC Virtual
  About: Asian mega-deltas are a crucial natural resource ecosystem for more than 150 million people and they face the growing threat of climate change each year. The challenges of sea level rise, extreme weather events and increasingly devastating droughts, risk the lives and livelihoods of millions. The UKRI GCRF Living Deltas Hub and the CGIAR Asian mega-deltas portfolio focus on locally led adaptation to work with communities in order to develop their adaptive capacity. This session will amplify delta voices to create the basis for continued knowledge exchange towards policy development, which ensures delta dwellers have a more effective voice in decision making.  
  Speakers:

  • Andy Large, UKRI GCRF Living Deltas Hub
  • Bjoern Ole Sander, IRRI
  • Nga Dao, Living Deltas Hub, York University
  • Shakuntala Thilsted, WorldFish
  • Anh Vu, Living Deltas Hub, Newcastle University
  • Saleemul Huq, ICCCAD
  • Indika Arulingam, IWMI
  • Mr. Shamsuddoha, CPRD, Bangladesh
  • CHANGE Vietnam representative (TBD)
  Registration and joining details: To be confirmed.