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Better Cotton Calls for Ambitious Public Finance Commitments To Empower Farmers at COP29

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Photo credit: COP29

As COP29 kicks off today, Better Cotton is urging global leaders to place farming communities at the centre of climate action and to recognise the critical role sustainability standards play in driving measurable progress toward climate resilience.  

With a strong focus on securing an ambitious new finance commitment from developed nations to support climate action in developing countries, Better Cotton is pushing for farmers’ voices to be placed at the heart of these discussions, ensuring that they not only withstand climate impacts but are empowered to lead in sustainable agriculture.  

Supporting over two million farmers globally, Better Cotton’s existing initiatives show how sustainability standards can drive real-world change. The new Impact Fund, for example, accelerates field-level sustainability and climate resilience efforts in cotton-growing communities starting in India. Better Cotton is also engaging in the Unlock Programme, which breaks down barriers to decarbonising cotton and raw material production.  

Farmers are on the frontline of climate change and their voices cannot be relegated to the sideline. Standards like Better Cotton have the power to unlock far-reaching impact and enable businesses to accelerate climate progress. We must not leave the farming communities to face the full force of climate change alone.

Lars van Doremalen, Impact Director at Better Cotton

While smallholder farmers globally receive just 0.8% of total climate finance, those growing cotton – which represent more than 90% of the world’s cotton farmers – are expected to receive an even smaller share. 

IFAD estimates that US$75 billion is required each year to enable smallholder farmers to successfully adapt to the effects of climate change. 

Better Cotton’s call to action comes as it partners with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and other sustainability standards bodies to launch the first-ever Standards Pavilion at COP. 

To truly empower these farmers to adapt and thrive amidst climate change, leaders at COP29 must prioritise meaningful financial commitments, pledge ambitiously and ensure smallholders have the support they need to drive sustainable agriculture forward.

Lars van Doremalen, Impact Director at Better Cotton

Better Cotton has a delegation attending the COP29 Summit in Baku, including:  

  • Lars van Doremalen – Impact Director 
  • Jannis Bellinghausen – Director of Standards, Certification and MEL 
  • Hélène Bohyn – Policy and Advocacy Manager 

​Notes to Editors: 

Climate change and cotton production: 

  • Research supported by Better Cotton predicts that by 2040, around half of the world’s cotton growing regions will face high or very high-risk exposure to at least one climate hazard – including floods, droughts and wildfires. 
  • Some regions will be exposed to as many as seven climate threats and in the worst-case scenario, all regions could be affected. 

Better Cotton at COP29 events: 

  • 14 November – 10:00 – 11:00 – ‘Better Cotton’ session at the Azerbaijan Pavilion [public event] 
  • 18 November – 11:15 – 12:15 – ‘Human-Centred Adaptation & Mitigation Strategies in Cotton Farming’ (Standards Pavilion B15- Area E) [public event] 
  • 19 November – 11:45 – 12:30 –  Interactive group discussion with agricultural sector specific civil society organisations and voluntary sustainability standards about opportunities and pathways for joint advocacy strategies to advance climate resilience of farming communities (Standards Pavilion B15- Area E) [closed door event] 
  • 20 November – 11:15 – 11:45 ‘Beyond the Label: The Climate Impact of Natural Fibres vs Synthetic Fibres’ (Standards Pavilion B15-Area E) [public event]  

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