COP28 also focusing on water and food security: If we do not protect the climate, we cannot feed people and prevent more and more conflicts

This morning, the President of the Republic of Slovenia was the keynote speaker at the COP28 side event (Scaling up integrated actions to address malnutrition and climate change: an intersectional and intergenerational dialogue), co-hosted by Slovenia and the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The food crisis is affecting about 345 million people in 79 countries.

“If we do not protect the climate, we cannot feed people and prevent more and more conflicts. The various conflicts around the world are a stark reminder that the environment and food should never be used as weapons. The international community must condemn and sanction such attempts in the strongest possible terms – and above all, prevent them,” was President Pirc Musar’s unambiguous conclusion. She announced that Slovenia, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, will put climate security at the top of its agenda, including food security, and will continue to respond to the growing humanitarian needs – recently, it increased its financial support for food security fivefold. The President highlighted beekeeping as an excellent example of a holistic approach to ecosystems, food and peace, as it is a uniquely successful means of empowering vulnerable social groups in fragile and conflict-affected areas. “At the launch of the Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace Declaration in just an hour’s time, Slovenia will announce its biggest-ever development project, helping communities in fragile African transboundary areas adapt to climate change through ecosystem restoration and beekeeping,” the President of Slovenia told fellow participants.

Yesterday, the President of Slovenia participated in a side event where leaders discussed how to accelerate action on water and climate. Slovenia is recognised globally as one of the few countries that has the right to clean water enshrined in its constitution, and the president stressed that water should be accessible to all. “By accelerating action on water, we are accelerating climate action,” she said. “Our scientific and technological solutions serve to improve water security, protect water resources and ecosystems, and improve the resilience of water infrastructure. The examples include the use of artificial intelligence to help track and monitor SDG 6, the use of satellite technology to foster cross-border cooperation, and the use of remote sensing for highly reliable flood forecasting and an early warning system in trans-boundary river basins,” stressed Pirc Musar, who also called for regular intergovernmental conferences on water, the appointment of a UN Special Envoy for Water at the earliest opportunity, as she had called for in New York in March, and the adoption of a UN Water Strategy.

During COP28, the President of the Republic of Slovenia met with several world leaders, including President Ignacio Lula of Brazil, President Jakov Milatović of Montenegro, President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Isaac Herzog of Israel, President Vjosa Osmani of Kosovo, President Katalin Novak of Hungary, President Zuzana Čaputová of Slovakia, President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia, European Council President Charles Michel, and the Prime Ministers of Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir, Estonia Kaja Kallas, Denmark Mette Fredriksen and Italy Giorgia Meloni. They exchanged expectations on the outcome of this year's conference, and much attention was paid to current international affairs, in particular the situation in Gaza. The President of Slovenia stressed that the only side we must take is the side of humanity, respect for international law and human rights.