New disruptive solutions offer hope at COP27

Bernhard Kowatsch is head of the World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator and he is at COP27 to showcase “solutions that not only help tackle the climate crisis but also the current hunger crisis”.

What gives Bernhard some belief that these crises will be tackled more effectively is the fact that for the “first time at COP agriculture and food security has become a big topic” as the knowledge that “one third of global greenhouse gas emissions represents what is actually happening between the farm and the fork” is beginning to lead to concrete actions.

“The challenge in front of us is massive but thinking about the startups and innovations we have supported, by the end of last year the WFP Innovation portfolio of innovations had already impacted nine million people across the globe positively,” he said.

And this impact is doubling every year, which he believes will only inspire other innovators.

“Maybe some people out there are getting inspiration from this, to do new things: innovations, startups, working on new solutions,” he said.

And today, the WFP Innovation Accelerator is showcasing some of these disruptive solutions for climate action at an event which is also available online, between 3-4pm CET: register now.

“We see the people that are the most food insecure are hit the hardest again by the climate crisis; by weather; by disaster – so what we are trying to do here is bring startups, bring innovation forward that has impact, not tomorrow but right now – and see how we can scale it.”

They are the type of innovations that help him lean towards #ACopHalfFull when looking to the future, as he says yes “we have a chance” but that now “we should push a lot harder to get there.”

For more takes like this from COP27, follow me and Paula Maultasch, the creative executive producer of the Inside Ideas podcast, and the hashtag #ACopHalfFull on twitter, as we bring you reasons to believe a better future is on the way – and remember to share your own thoughts on why you think the same.