This year’s UNGA feels especially urgent as the effects of protracted conflicts, accelerating climate change and persistent poverty, inequality and food insecurity impact billions of people around the world.
While the United Nations 79th Assembly gets underway with the anticipated Summit of the Future, followed by High-Level Week, actors outside the UN seize this opportunity to drive forward conversations and call for urgent action with partners and the wider public. Running in parallel is Climate Week NYC, coordinating events and engaging creative thinkers across the city.
We are off track to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Over 700 million people are estimated to be living in extreme poverty. 733 million people are still going hungry. With less than 6 years before 2030, we have the opportunity to turn the tide and scale initiatives for increased progress.
Top of Mind Policy Priorities That Need to Drive SDG2 Engagement at UNGA79
Efforts and initiatives to alleviate hunger and food insecurity need to be coordinated and interconnected to address major global issues. Progress on SDGs 1 and 2 is stalling, and many countries lack effective social protection due to high debt and limited resources. Current international financing is fragmented and insufficient to meet the scale of the challenge. We are seeing multiple and interlinked opportunities for SDG2, to build momentum, greater alignment and coordination while improving financial flows.
These gamechangers should be top of mind going into UNGA 79:
Garnering support and commitments for the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty is an initiative announced by Brazil as a central component of its G20 Presidency. It aims to provide political momentum and mobilise resources and knowledge to implement effective public policies and social technologies to end hunger and extreme poverty worldwide. This is a critical opportunity to end hunger, malnutrition and poverty but it requires global support. Join us in raising awareness and calling on world leaders to join the Global Alliance with this Open Letter and join the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, World Vision International, the Government of Brazil, Ação da Cidadania, and BRAC at a special event September 25th “Partnerships to Catalyze Action to End Hunger and Malnutrition”.
Funding for food security and nutrition through the IDA21 Replenishment
A fund for people and planet, the World Bank’s International Development Agency (IDA) offers expertise and concessional financing to 75 recipient countries for critical investments in national development plans across a breadth of sectors. The IDA21 Replenishment comes at a time when there is an urgent need to address the mounting risks, particularly in IDA countries where 92% of people who face hunger live. With the right policy package and financial investments that address malnutrition and food insecurity, the IDA21 Replenishment can be a vital lifeline of evidence-based solutions that save lives now, build resilience and secure the future, including the implementation of the Global Alliance.
Read more about IDA21 here.
Ensuring alignment and integration across Africa’s Post-Malabo Process
The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is Africa’s policy framework on agricultural transformation, food security and nutrition, economic growth, and prosperity for all. With the expiration of the current CAADP in 2025, the successor Kampala Declaration offers the opportunity for aligning efforts to end hunger, malnutrition and poverty. The Post-Malabo Process provides a structured framework for African countries to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition by improving agricultural productivity, building resilience, and ensuring accountability.
Learn more here.
Scaling up evidence-based action to prevent and treat malnutrition
September will see a sneak peak of the updated World Bank Investment Framework for Nutrition and its new costings to tackle global malnutrition. Publishing the latest findings on the evidence-based interventions to prevent and treat malnutrition, the Investment Framework is a critical advocacy tool to mobilise donor funding for nutrition that has plateaued since 2020 ahead of the March 2025 Paris Nutrition for Growth Summit.
How is the SDG2 community showing up at UNGA?
From public to private sector, foundations to philanthropists, civil society to engaged citizens, businesses to leaders, a growing number of voices are coming together to influence progress for SDG2, food insecurity and transforming food systems.
*See how the SDG2 Advocacy Hub Network is playing a part at UNGA 79:
Chefs’ Manifesto and Food Champions
Chefs are teaming up across a number of events in NYC to showcase healthy, diverse and sustainable diets, bridging farm to fork and advocating for food systems transformation. From elevating the power of beans, to ensuring crop diversity, food champions will show up with numerous partners, networks and events. Chefs’ Manifesto and Crop Trust are organising The Food Forever Experience NYC 2024, Beans is How and the NYC Mayor’s office are inviting chefs to engage with key communities, and more.
Empty Plates Hungry for Action Campaign
Hundreds of millions of people have nothing to put on their plates every day. They go to sleep hungry. It is outrageous and unacceptable that global hunger is rising in 2024 and that too many children are being robbed of their future potential due to malnutrition when we know many solutions exist; only concerted action from governments can fix it. Join Hungry for Action and Goalkeepers in NYC on September 22-23 at the Goalkeepers Empty Plates Food Truck and Activation.
Food Tank at Climate Week NYC
Food Tank is back with a series of events across NYC Climate Week bringing together local and global voices on food through discussions, panels, lightning talks and fireside chats. Including: Restaurants and Farms are Key Solutions to the Climate Crisis, Climate Resilience through Agriculture, Building Healthy Soils, Reducing Food Waste, and Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides. See their full programme.
Goalkeepers, a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation initiative
Follow the event to learn about solutions to keep people healthy and nourished in a rapidly warming world. Together, the world must work to ensure better nutrition for all so everyone can reach their full potential. Learn more here. The accompanying Goalkeepers report delves into the bright spots and outstanding gaps in global efforts to tackle malnutrition. Access the report here.
Food Day at Climate Week NYC
Hosted in partnership with the Tilt Collective, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Bezos Earth Fund, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Farmed Animal Funders, Food Day will bring together leaders from the climate, nature, health, and animal advocacy communities to advance plant-rich foods.
Together for Nutrition’ at UNGA79
Stronger Foundations for Nutrition, together with USAID, France, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Scaling Up Nutrition will host an event in support of an ambitious agenda to achieve a well-nourished and more equal world. Partners aim to rally the global community around the Paris Nutrition for Growth Summit, guide impactful commitment making, and unlock gender transformative nutrition action. Capacity for in-person participation has been reached, but all are welcome to join via livestream. Additionally, Stronger Foundations for Nutrition and the Anemia Action Alliance invite you to an event Addressing Anaemia to Nourish Equality.
#BeansOnTheMenu at Climate Week NYC
Six New York City Agencies, 40+ restaurants and many partners are joining #BeansOnTheMenu this Climate Week NYC. From 22-29 September, strategic effort led by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy and Beans is How will raise awareness about the benefits of beans for people’s health and the planet. Bean dishes on menus as well as a digital awareness calling will highlight how beans are a delicious solution to help the city meet its nutritional and climate-related goals.
“In less than one year we have seen the number of people facing destitution and starvation increase more than 2.5 times to almost 2 million people, most of them are in the Gaza Strip and the Sudan, where Famine was also confirmed. The number of people who need humanitarian assistance just to be able to feed themselves and their families remains far too high in too many countries. The drivers of food crises- conflict, weather extremes and economic shock, are also increasing in intensity. Food security needs to stay on the global agenda so that we can invest in stronger food systems and alleviate the poverty that makes people vulnerable to the increasing shocks that they face.”
Sara McHattie, Global Coordinator, FSIN
“Achieving SDG2 is increasingly difficult, as climate change and economic struggles hit Africa’s food systems hard. African and G7 leaders must act now to invest in and champion bold policies. Their leadership is crucial to building resilient, equitable, and thriving food systems.”
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, President & CEO, One Campaign
“The road to zero hunger lies in harnessing the power of science, innovation, and evidence-based research. With science we can equip smallholder farmers around the world with the know-how and innovations they need to produce more and better food with fewer resources, adapt to challenging environments, and protect natural resources and biodiversity.”
Ismahane Elouafi, Managing Director, CGIAR
Resources
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UNGA Guide
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Climate Week NYC
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Global Report on Food Crises Mid-Year Update
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Food Systems at NYC Climate Week
* Thank you to Mercy for Animal colleagues for compiling the food systems events list, please reach out to the contacts listed in the document if you have have updates or events that you would like included in the list
