Speaker Introduction and Background

• Gonzalo Muñoz: Chilean farmer invited by UAE to help deliver progress on food-climate connection
• 15 years dealing with water scarcity, witnessing climate change impacts on production capacity
• Conventional practices contributing to climate problems, inspiring innovation
• Achieved 2023 Chilean Syrah production using 1 liter water vs. regional average 240 liters
• Involved in global circular economy promotion and B Corps certification standards
• 2019: Chilean government appointed him UN High-Level Climate Action Champion
  • Role: mobilize non-state actors (companies, cities, governments, financial institutions, civil society)
  • Goal: push governments toward bolder climate action

Food System Challenges and Complexities

• Food system has huge climate crisis impact through production, distribution, consumption, waste
• Complex topic with individual variations based on health, ideology, religion, culture, taste
• Country-level variations:
  • Some prioritize food security
  • Some communities rely on agricultural commodities (cotton, beef, soy)
• Current food system not fit for purpose:
  • 800 million hungry people globally
  • One-third of food production wasted/lost
  • System both causes and affected by climate change
  • Faces multiple challenges: pandemic, conflicts, supply chain disruptions, droughts

UAE Food and Agriculture Declaration Development

• 2023: UAE-led initiative with new approach
• Goal: move food from pollution/degradation source to climate action tool
• Initial target: 100 heads of state signatures
• Final result: 159 heads of state signed UAE Declaration on Food and Agriculture
• Described as "massive" and "absolutely unprecedented"

Success Strategy - Three Key Principles

• Focus on people: build resilience of food producers, farmers, fisherfolks
  • Enable thriving despite climate crisis
  • Become effective nature stewards
• Set goals without prescribing methods:
  • Respect different country circumstances
  • Allow each country to design own pathway
  • Require precise goals and targets
• Reflect food system diversity and complexity:
  • Every region has different starting point

Non-State Actor Mobilization

• Real economy actors developed food system non-state call to action
• High-level champions leadership with careful consultation process
• Stakeholder engagement: smallholder farmers to multinational corporations, Indigenous communities to commercial banks
• Common vision with 10 priority goals for climate action
• Result: 1,000+ non-state actor groups endorsed call to action
• Continuing endorsements toward next negotiation cycle

Ambition Loop Concept

• Positive virtuous loop between states and non-state actors
• Process:
  • Countries agree → message to real economy
  • Non-state actors raise bar with concrete examples
  • Leadership proves feasibility → message back to politicians
  • Politicians encouraged to raise bar through policymaking
• Successfully triggered during Dubai negotiations run-up

Future Action Requirements for 2025 Brazil Negotiations

• Stop damaging nature:
  • Food system depends on functional, healthy ecosystems and resources
• Scale finance for sustainable food system transition:
  • Innovation funding
  • Incentive changes
  • Just transition security for everyone
• Develop metrics, goals, targets:
  • Country ownership
  • Government accountability
  • Progress measurement capability

Personal Farm Innovation Examples

• Continued water reduction practices innovation
• Regeneration work with endangered species
• Renewable energy usage
• Vision: practices scaled to country level (Chile)
• Goal: more farmers, businesses, value chains adopting practices
• Ultimate ambition: global food system fit for purpose, nourishing everyone while restoring earth