Alfons Balmann and Qiangyi Yu (visiting scientist at IAMO from CAAS) participated in COP29, the 29th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The COP is the world's only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change that brings together almost every country annually.

Alfons Balmann contributed to a panel session at the Ukraine Pavilion, focusing on greenhouse gas mitigation needs in Ukrainian agriculture. He emphasized societal challenges such as the rewetting of peatlands and the potential of innovative and sustainable approaches, including further digitalization of agriculture. In another panel, "Financing the Agrifood System Transformation," organized by FAO, World Bank, IFAD, and EBRD, he shared insights into how Ukraine has emerged as a significant food exporter through investments and innovations. Key factors for this progress include non-discriminatory policies towards farm sizes and legal forms, anti-corruption efforts, collaboration within the agribusiness sector, and a strong focus on efficiency.

Qiangyi Yu attended a World Trade Organization panel on leveraging agriculture for sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. He presented China's recent policy and innovation efforts, including reducing chemical fertilizers and pesticides, improving farmland infrastructure, and advancing climate-smart agricultural practices. These initiatives have achieved remarkable progress in balancing food security with environmental sustainability.