Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition

Background

Climate change and malnutrition are two of the greatest challenges facing humanity today, and they are intrinsically intertwined. Approaches that integrate climate and nutrition considerations offer a unified solution to two major sustainable development challenges. Climate change is already impacting agrifood systems, health systems, social protection systems, and water systems, all of which are fundamental for good nutrition.

At the same time, inefficiencies and maladaptation in these systems are further contributing to the drivers of climate change, namely greenhouse gas emissions and the degradation of natural resources. The impacts of and exposure to climate and nutrition risks are not gender neutral. Women are disproportionately affected by health issues such as undernutrition, anaemia, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity. They, along with children, are also more than 14 times as likely as men to die in climate-fuelled disasters. Inequalities in access to health and nutrition services, social protection, control over resources, agency, and decision-making power are underlying drivers of both malnutrition and vulnerability to climate change. Elevating the education, power, and status of women must therefore be central to addressing the global syndemic of obesity, undernutrition, and climate change.

In this context, the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN) was formed as a multistakeholder, multisectoral global flagship initiative to catalyze, mobilize, connect, and advocate around the critical nexus of climate change and nutrition. I-CAN works with governments and partners to embed nutrition-sensitive ambition and commitments within climate and food system policies, national planning roadmaps, and investments. By doing so, it supports Member States to deliver integrated nutrition and climate change adaptation and mitigation policies, actions, and investments at the national level, thereby accelerating progress toward existing commitments. This approach simultaneously improves nutrition and triggers transformative action to deliver healthy diets, clean water, resilient communities, and robust health systems. In turn, it contributes to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - particularly SDG2, SDG3, and SDG13 - while also advancing progress toward the Paris Agreement 1.5 °C target.

By aligning nutrition and climate goals within national policy and planning priorities, I-CAN strengthens countries’ capacity to address both challenges simultaneously. This integrated approach not only helps mitigate risks to food and agriculture but also promotes resilient, equitable, and sustainable food systems. Ultimately, I-CAN enables governments and partners to transform national commitments into actionable pathways that deliver nutrition-climate win-wins for people and planet.

Activities

I-CAN is coordinated as a multistakeholder initiative, bringing together governments, UN agencies, development partners, and civil society organizations. It serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and advocacy to advance integrated nutrition-climate action at national and global levels.

A key focus of I-CAN’s work is understanding the state of play regarding integration of nutrition and climate agendas, as well as helping countries translate ambition into action through practical resources that support policy integration, implementation, and financing of interventions. To achieve these focuses, I-CAN undertakes activities in three main areas:

Policy integration and analysis: I-CAN has conducted and published analyses of how nutrition is or is not integrated into national climate policies such as NDCs, NAPs, and NBSAPs. It also reviews the extent to which climate priorities are reflected in nutrition and health strategies, such as National Nutrition Plans (NNPs). I-CAN has also conducted analyses at the national and sub-national levels in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Tanzania, Kenya and Cambodia, highlighting further opportunities for action and I-CAN has capacity to offer further technical advice and support to enable governments to address these.

Development of practical resources and guidance: I-CAN has also produced technical reports, guidance notes, and tools that provide countries with evidence-based pathways for embedding nutrition into climate, water, and food system strategies. These tools help identify entry points and best practices to enhance climate-nutrition integration.

Capacity strengthening and advocacy: I-CAN engages directly with governments and other partners at global and national events to strengthen technical and institutional capacity for greater climate-nutrition integration in policy, planning, and investment. Through convening stakeholders across food systems, health, climate, and social protection, the initiative fosters dialogue, peer learning, and alignment of policy priorities.

Across all activities, I-CAN takes a comprehensive, systems-based approach, recognizing that water systems, land use, food systems, health systems, social protection and gender equality, and climate change are all interconnected. Our activities and outputs aim to promote healthy diets, resilient communities, and robust health systems while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and natural resource degradation.

Impact

Institutional capacities and processes;Improved farmer livelihoods, equity outcomes;Improved nutrition/ dietary diversity;Improved synergies across climate-nutrition policies