What’s on the Agenda for Better Cotton at COP29?

This year, Better Cotton is participating in COP29, the annual UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties. We are proud to be part of the first-ever COP Standards Pavilion, sharing a platform with leading sustainability standards organisations to showcase international standards as essential, systemic, scalable solutions for achieving large-scale impactful climate resilience.

In Baku, we will be convening a range of discussions on human-centred adaptation and mitigation strategies in cotton farming, engaging in debates about the role of natural fibres in the EU’s shift towards a climate-neutral and circular economy, and exploring how sustainable cotton farming in Azerbaijan can positively impact both local and global market.

For a full breakdown of the events that we will be participating in, please see below.

Declaration of Interest in a Better Cotton Programme in Azerbaijan

Date: 14 November 2024

Time: 10:00 – 11:00

Location: Azerbaijan Pavilion C3

Description: This session will convene global stakeholders to explore sustainable cotton farming practices in Azerbaijan, discussing progress, challenges, and opportunities within the sector, focussing on strategies that promote climate resilience and rural development. The panel will focus on strategies that promote climate resilience and rural development through sustainable cotton production, emphasising the role of finance, policy, and trade in scaling these initiatives, while exploring how sustainable practices can positively impact both local and global markets. Finally, in response to an expression of interest in launching a Better Cotton Programme in Azerbaijan, we will also use this opportunity to set out the elements necessary for an enabling environment to be implemented credibly.

Speakers:

• Hon. Majnun Mammadov, Minister of Agriculture of the Azerbaijan Republic
• Jannis Bellinghausen, Director of Standards Certification & MEL, Better Cotton
• Eric Trachtenberg, Executive Director, International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
• Mirmukhsin Sultanov, Chairman, UzTextile Association
• Rovshan Makhmudov, CEO, Prime Cotton

Human-Centred Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies in Cotton Farming

Date: 18 November 2024

Time: 11:15-12:15

Location: Standards Pavilion B15, Area E

Link: Please click here to access the livestream

Description: Following the common thread of ‘people first’, this discussion will dive into locally implemented innovative strategies like using biochar or agroforestry tested and adopted in smallholder contexts to improve soil health, remove carbon from the atmosphere and increase incomes of farming communities. A unique set of perspectives brought by voluntary sustainability standards, civil society and supply chain actors will demonstrate how, when the right investments are made, the scalability of multistakeholder collaboration can truly transform agricultural practices and combat climate change.

Speakers:

• Hélène Bohyn, Policy & Advocacy Manager, Better Cotton (Moderator)
• Nonsikelelo Nkomo, Business Development Manager at Solidaridad 
• Saqib Sohail, Lead Responsible Business Projects at Artistic Milliners
• Lars Van Doremalen, Impact Director at Better Cotton

Beyond the Label: The Climate Impact of Natural vs Synthetic Fibres

Date: 20 November 2024

Time: 11:15-11:45

Location: Standards Pavilion B15, Area E

Link: Please click here to access the livestream

Description: Do you ever wonder if the clothes that you buy are made of synthetic or natural fibres, and what difference that makes? In this 30 minute conversation, we will explore how the highly debated EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology aims to standardise the way we measure and communicate the environmental impact of products. Perspectives brought by Brazilian and Australian cotton stakeholders will shed light on the true environmental and human impact PEF is likely to have and the role of Make the Label Count in advocating for accurate, transparent labelling to empower consumers to make informed, sustainable choices.

Speakers:

• George Candon, Managing Director, Man Friday Consultancy
• Tony Mahar, Chief Executive, Australian National Farmers’ Federation (NFF)
• Hélène Bohyn, Policy & Advocacy Manager, Better Cotton

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