World Cold Chain Symposium Convened Global Leaders, Created Dialogue on Food Loss and Waste
Category : Press Release
Washington, DC – Paris, France July 27, 2022 – The organizers Global Food Cold Chain Council (GFCCC) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction, the sponsor Carrier, and supporters Ozone Secretariat and the Cool Coalition, thank the speakers and audience members for their enthusiastic interest at the 2022 World Cold Chain Symposium, held on July 10th at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. The Symposium, which included a diverse set of speakers from the private sector, government, international organizations, academia and non-profits, brought together a group representing more than 90 countries to share perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the expansion of the sustainable food cold chain. Today, the video recording of the Symposium is available for the public to view.
The Symposium focused on the theme of “Promoting the Sustainable Food Cold Chain: Pursuing the Action Agenda” and showcased speakers from UNEP (OzonAction and the Cool Coalition), the Ozone Secretariat, the Multilateral Fund Secretariat, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, U.S. Department of State, National Ozone Units and governments of India and Vietnam, industry representatives from the Global Food Cold Chain Council, the University of Birmingham and the World Refrigeration Day Secretariat. Speakers shared details of innovative cold chain initiatives in Somalia, the Philippines, India, Rwanda, and Vietnam. A session on financing options for the food cold chain featured the World Bank, the Multilateral Fund and the Green Climate Fund. The full speaker list is available on the Symposium website linked above.
The Symposium highlighted important themes that will be discussed at venues including those related to the Montreal Protocol and the Climate Conference of the Parties in 2022 and 2023. The dialogue included:
- The importance of cold chain data collection and analysis and tools and services available to developing countries.
- Encouragement of financial support for cold chain expansion projects consistent with the Rome Declaration on the Contribution of the Montreal Protocol to Food Loss Reduction through Sustainable Cold Chain Development
- Development of partner projects on agriculture and cold chain linkages
- Promote development and implementation of financial mechanisms under the Green Climate Fund, World Bank, other UN implementing agencies, and private sector interests
“The global community has embraced the need for and environmental and economic benefits of expansion of a sustainable cold chain,” said Kevin Fay, Executive Director of the Global Food Cold Chain Council. “This event showcases this building momentum on activities that will improve health, help the environment by reducing food loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste fresh water, and creating additional food and economic security.”
James Curlin, Head of UNEP OzonAction, said “The views expressed during the symposium demonstrate that a wide constellation of organizations, countries, and financial mechanisms consider an expanded and sustainable cold chain to be a vital common objective. The innovative initiatives described during the event were inspirational and gave us food for thought about the next steps we can take either as individuals or in collaboration. Opportunities to advance the sustainable cold chain abound, and need to be acted upon.”
WCCS Press Release – 2022 Success
