Gonzalo Muñoz Abogabir is the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion from the COP 25 Presidency, appointed by the Chilean Presidency in 2019. From that position, he co-led the Race To Zero, Race To Resilience and Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero GFANZ campaigns.
Previously, he co-founded and led TriCiclos, a leading Latin American circular economy and recycling company. Gonzalo also co-founded Sistema B (B Corp in Latin America), Manuia and Polkura Winery. He is also a member of the Club of Rome.
Currently, Gonzalo sits on the board of the Global Foodbanking Network, CDP Latin America, TED Future Forum, Chapter Zero Chile, among others. Gonzalo has been the recipient of the Chilean national awards on environment, innovation and social entrepreneurship; and he was awarded the honor of CMG in Queen Elizabeth’s final honors list in 2022.
Gonzalo shared insights on the current progress of the food systems transformation – from key takeaways from COP 29, the road to COP 30 in Brazil – to the potential of the current UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP – to drive action on land restoration and drought resilience.
What progress was made on food systems transformation at COP 29?
COP 29 in Baku confirmed the critical role of the food systems transformation, with over 300 food system actors, including farmers, Indigenous Peoples, businesses, financial institutions and civil society, endorsing the Food Systems Call to Action, since its launch at COP 28.
Food systems are remarkable, providing food for our global population and livelihoods for over four billion people. They form the backbone of communities worldwide. However, hundreds of millions are hungry, and over three billion cannot afford healthy diets. Generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, food systems are also vulnerable to climate impacts, undermining food security and adaptation – as well as driving biodiversity loss and consuming 70% of global freshwater.
To transform our food systems a powerful movement of key global players is building – and action is underway – from smallholder farmers and Indigenous Peoples and local communities to major corporations and financial institutions to NGOs and food banks.
In Latin America, for example, the Innovative Finance for the Amazon, Cerrado, and Chaco (IFACC) initiative, launched in 2021, is on track to mobilize USD 10 billion in disbursements by 2030 for deforestation-free soy and beef production in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. So far, IFACC has protected over 135,000 hectares of ecosystems, and restored over 700 hectares, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and nature-positive economies.
Clearly, this type of action at the non-State level is boosting confidence and ambition at the national government level. For example, Brazil’s climate plan (NDC), announced at COP 29, outlines the country’s intent to encourage and incentivise more ‘sustainable’ agriculture as part of its emissions-cutting efforts.
Other heads of state are also now considering what their countries can achieve if they properly consider food systems and agriculture within their climate mitigation strategies. For example, the COP 28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action, was endorsed by leaders of 160 countries since Dubai last year. Hopefully, next year we will see many more countries integrating food systems and agriculture into their climate and nature strategies, helping to land this topic into the centre of the strategy and the priorities of COP 30.
What other food-related initiatives stood out at COP 29?
Significantly, more than 30 countries, including Brazil and Mexico, signed up to the Reducing Methane from Organic Waste Declaration, a new pledge focused on setting sectoral targets in future NDCs to cut methane emissions from waste. The food sector produces over a third of global methane emissions, so key actors like food banks, along with cities and local governments, have a key role to play in treating organic waste to prevent the release of this dangerous greenhouse gas.
Globally, around one third of total food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, costing nearly one trillion USD annually, and producing 8–10% of greenhouse gases. So, tackling food waste and loss is a win-win-win scenario for producers, municipalities and consumers alike.
There are many examples of climate action supporting healthier, resilient, equitable communities – and in turn, non-State actors tangibly contributing to countries’ food and agriculture metrics. As countries publish their NDCs before the end of February, I would also expect approaches to reducing and better managing organic waste to be integrated into those climate plans.
How would you sum up the key challenges of the food systems transformation?
The food systems transition is highly complex, arguably even more so than the energy transition, which is well underway. In energy, we clearly identify which communities lack clean energy access, and we already possess affordable solutions to address this. By contrast, feeding the global population sustainably involves a myriad of approaches, each with varying impacts and risks.
Food systems evolve under multiple influences, including cultural and local contexts, market signals, incentives, climate change, and conflict. While the ultimate goal is clear—providing healthy, nutritious, sustainable, and locally appropriate diets for all—trade-offs frequently arise. For instance, some efforts to produce ‘climate-friendly’ foods have resulted in ultra-processed foods, which despite being marketed as ‘sustainable’ due to having less fresh ingredients and an extended shelf life, may have negative health impacts. Similarly, the provision of fresh, healthy foods can increase the need for protective packaging to minimise spoilage and wastage. However, this can increase plastic pollution.
The complexity also involves balancing local and global food systems. Local food production can help lower carbon footprints and bolster regional economies. However, global trade plays a critical role in ensuring food security, especially for countries that rely on imports for staple foods or that lack the capacity to produce certain crops.
At the same time, global trade is vital for ensuring food security, especially for countries dependent on imports or unable to produce certain crops. Shifting predominantly to local systems may reduce emissions but could also disrupt international markets and pose challenges for economic stability and food access. For instance, countries like India and Thailand, which are major rice exporters, rely significantly on global markets. Decreasing demand for imported staples in other nations could impact these economies, without due focus on scaling alternatives to meet their needs for agricultural employment and GDP.
Navigating these dynamic, interconnected challenges demands coordinated action across multiple supply chains, regions and stakeholders. Smart agricultural policy is also needed to reorient subsidies; address trade, finance and regulatory barriers; and introduce mandatory climate- and nature-related risk disclosure.
Multi-stakeholder collaboration also enables rapid learning and alignment of investment flows to support transition pathways, with key actors sharing knowledge and data and we can progress in multiple areas – to overcome these challenges systemically – to co-create sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems for all.
How can we ensure that farmers co-create the transformation of food systems?
Farmers and front-line food systems actors represent a diverse array of groups worldwide, from arable and livestock farmers, foresters, ranchers, aquaculturists, cooperatives, and many others. Their lives and livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the nature and climate crises, so they’re highly invested in adapting to and mitigating the impacts they face daily.
Many of these actors have extensive experience in applying sustainable, regenerative, and agroecological practices. To scale and strengthen these efforts, they need more support and resources. Regenerative approaches vary significantly by crop type, region, and ecological context, so they demand frameworks that are farmer-centered and co-developed with input from those directly engaged in the work. These frameworks should enable transparent measurement of progress, empowering farmers and landscape stewards to lead sustainable transformations in food systems.
What is the role of finance in the transformation of food systems?
Food systems are responsible for significant environmental impacts, including a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, 90% of deforestation, and 60% of biodiversity loss. However, they received only 3.4% of the USD 115.9 billion in climate finance mobilized in 2022. Bridging this financial gap is essential for the transition to sustainable food systems.
Scaling finance from all sources—Multilateral Development Banks, private institutions, and government funding—is critical. Smallholder farmers, who produce 80% of food in Africa and Asia, are pivotal in this transformation. Increasing targeted financial support to smallholders can drive broader impacts, such as improved land stewardship and biodiversity conservation.
Private investors must play a more prominent role in advancing sustainable food systems. Initiatives like the Finance Sector Deforestation Action Initiative—which brings together over 30 financial institutions committed to eliminating commodity-driven deforestation—highlight the potential for leadership. Mainstreaming such efforts across financial institutions is aligned with fiduciary duties and can help address systemic environmental challenges.
The adoption of rules for carbon markets at COP 29 represents a significant milestone, establishing a stronger framework for financing carbon sequestration efforts. This creates opportunities for financial institutions to lead investments in soil health and regenerative practices. Clear and investable business models are key to attracting private sector engagement, fostering a feedback loop where businesses and financiers reinforce each other’s progress.
By aligning the interests of farmers, financial institutions, Indigenous Communities, scientists and NGOs, with national governments – the transformation can become not only feasible but scalable and sustainable.
What do you hope the 16th UN COP to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) delivers?
The recent UNCCD COP 16 in Riyadh was a huge milestone for the third, lesser known Rio Convention on Desertification. It marks the culmination of the 3 Rio Conventions – drawing a connecting thread between the biodiversity, climate, and desertification agendas.
Today, up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded affecting half of humanity and droughts have increased by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land management. Clearly, these impacts have a critical effect on food production and 170 countries were represented, providing an opportunity to mobilize interest and commitments to support the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) aim of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030.
We need to mobilize not only the resources, but also the human capacity as billions of people depend on soil and water for their livelihoods. Central to this effort is the Riyadh Action Agenda, which was launched during COP 16 and identifies shared goals and objectives to drive progress and support implementation in priority areas of land restoration, drought and water resilience and agri-food systems – through finance, governance, and science, technology and innovation.. Like the climate COPs, the UNCCD Summit should also act as a bridge, fostering collaboration between this year’s host, Saudi Arabia – and the next Summit in 2026 in Mongolia, where up to 50% of rangelands are degraded.
Over the next few years, we hope to see greater synergy between the three Rio Conventions to tackle the interconnected climate, nature, and land crises. Progress at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 16 in Cali on biodiversity, COP 29 in Baku on climate, and UNCCD COP 16 in Riyadh on desertification, land degradation and drought – has shown the potential for integrated agendas – in terms of boosting the impact and efficiency of non-State actors’ contributions. For instance, a single water conservation project can simultaneously advance objectives for climate, biodiversity, and desertification, showcasing the power of coordinated action.
From COP 29 to COP 30, the momentum behind food systems transformation continues to grow. To accelerate meaningful progress, we must shift and scale financing for resilient and sustainable food systems, enhance global accountability frameworks – and overall ensure that the expertise of farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities lies at the centre of the transformation.
The Rwanda Fortified Whole Grain Program, launched in 2021 and supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, focuses on incorporating fortified whole grain (FWG) maize flour into school feeding programmes to enhance students’ nutritional intake.
The SEKEM Initiative, established almost 50 years ago, focuses on regenerative development through biodynamic and organic agriculture, along with socio-economic and cultural initiatives.
Danone, a global leader in the food industry, has launched an ambitious initiative to reduce methane emissions from its fresh milk supply chain by 30% by 2030, against a 2020 baseline, aligning with the Global Methane Pledge introduced at COP26.
Context: Reducing chemical use and soil disturbance is essential to preserve biodiversity, improve soil health, and promote more sustainable farming practices for long-term agricultural resilience. Partners: The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), Anglian Water, The Country Trust. Duration: Ongoing (The case study does not specify exact start and end dates, but it reflects changes made […]
