With the COP29 summit underway in Azerbaijan, Action Against Hunger is calling for bold, immediate action to counter the effects of climate change on malnutrition. With extreme weather events – droughts, floods, and heatwaves – on the rise, the humanitarian organisation warns that food security is under threat for millions, particularly women and children. Today, an alarming 733 million people worldwide face hunger.
“The climate crisis is deepening global hunger and malnutrition, especially in communities already grappling with conflict and poverty,” said Kate Munro, Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger UK. “If urgent action isn’t taken, up to 183 million more people could be at risk of hunger by 2050. Tackling malnutrition must be central to global climate policy.”
Climate finance must support the most vulnerable communities
Climate finance must reach the poorest and most affected communities as soon as possible, and now is the time for leaders at COP29 to step up. Wealthy nations, whose historical emissions have contributed most to the crisis, need to find innovative solutions now to meeting the vast funding gap that the poorest countries face. This funding must come in the form of grants, not loans, to avoid further burdening already struggling economies. It should be channelled directly to impacted communities and complemented by new climate-friendly revenue streams, such as taxes on fossil fuel and other high-pollution industries.
“Keir Starmer needs to commit to providing future UK international climate finance that is genuinely new and additional to existing commitments by putting in place polluter pays measures to generate new public finance in a fair way,” said Kate Munro
A need for climate action free from corporate lobbyists
Action Against Hunger UK is urging COP29 leaders to prioritise meaningful climate action by limiting the influence of fossil fuel and agro-industrial corporations, whose interests often undermine genuine climate goals. These industries have previously used climate summits to push “sham solutions” such as synthetic fertilisers and carbon capture technologies, which have distracted negotiators whilst emissions have continued to rise.
“To make real progress, this year’s COP summit should have excluded corporate lobbyists from government delegations, and allowed negotiations to focus on sustainable, equitable solutions that address the climate crisis at its core,” said Kate Munro.
Only by committing to systemic change – moving away from fossil fuel dependency and toward renewable energy and sustainable food systems – can COP29 truly champion a climate-resilient future. This shift is essential to protect the most vulnerable communities, who are bearing the brunt of climate impacts, and to ensure that climate action aligns with social justice. Action Against Hunger calls on COP29 to deliver climate solutions that directly benefit people, not industry interests, and to uphold its responsibility to future generations.
Protecting vulnerable communities
As part of its climate change response, Action Against Hunger is scaling up efforts to mitigate the short and long-term impacts of climate on nutrition and food security. In 2023, the organisation launched early warning systems that use real-time data to detect life-threatening hunger before it takes hold. These systems, now protecting over 1.6 million people, allow communities, farmers, and policymakers to act quickly to prevent crises.
In Liberia, for example, Action Against Hunger strengthened the flood anticipatory alert system to provide accurate rainfall forecasts and early warnings in the event of severe weather, helping communities take proactive measures against devastating floods.
Notes to editors
- Action Against Hunger staff members are on site at COP29 and available for interviews including, Ahmed Khalif, Country Director of Action Against Hunger in Somalia (15-22 November), Alvin Munyasia, Advocacy Officer for Action Against Hunger in Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa (18-22 November). Please contact Jack at j.seal@actionagainsthunger.org.uk to arrange.
- Action Against Hunger is the world’s leading charity stopping life-threatening hunger in its tracks. By training parents and healthcare workers to spot the signs, we get life-saving care to people who need it. Action Against Hunger’s research drives forward understanding of how to predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger. With unbeatable knowledge and unstoppable determination, the charity supported more than 28 million people in over 50 countries in 2023.