A/HRC/29/19 53. Consequently, Mr. Sopoaga suggested that the Council consider establishing a mechanism to link human rights and the impacts of climate change, and called for the Council to hold a special session to examine the impact of climate change on human rights and identify ways forward to address them. The 2015 Paris Conference of the Parties needed an ambitious agenda. The plight of States like Tuvalu and Kiribati must receive more attention and become a cause of action for the international community. The United Nations was not present on the ground in Tuvalu, where its support was desperately needed. Addressing the human rights impact of climate change was an issue of justice, mandating immediate action. 54. The Administrator of the National Food Authority of the Philippines, Renan Dalisay described the horrendous impact of super typhoon Haiyan on his country. In total, 7,500 people were killed and millions were affected across 14 provinces. The damage caused the loss of billions of dollars and massive production losses for food. There was abundant evidence that climate change affected the intensity and frequency of typhoons and other extreme weather events, which were increasingly regular in the Philippines. These destroyed crops, augmented costs of staple foods and increased reliance upon emergency food relief. Climate change directly affected the enjoyment of the right to adequate food and nutrition. It destroyed land. It took lives and had a disproportionate impact on the poorest and most vulnerable. 55. Mr. Dalisay said that the Government of the Philippines had taken steps to address the growing threat of climate change. Policymakers had enacted laws and put in place a comprehensive set of policies, programmes and institutions to help identify strategies and actions towards mitigation and adaptation. These included the 2009 Climate Change Act, the National Climate Change Action Plan and the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture. Aligning climate policies with human rights had been central to these efforts and reflected both international and national commitments. Agricultural development was of supreme importance and efforts must be made continuously to protect livelihoods, provide access to food for children, ensure gender equality and respect indigenous perspectives. 56. Mr. Dalisay stated that all were victims of climate change and all must work together to stop it. He called for a serious commitment to address the global threat of climate change and to implement the obligations of States on the basis of historical responsibilities. Recalling the Philippines’ experience of solidarity with the international community in the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, he asserted that States and people must come together again to agree on a lasting solution to save our children and our children’s children from the devastation wrought by the terrible consequences of climate change. He called on all to honour the victims of climate change by taking immediate action to protect future generations. 57. The Director of the FAO Geneva Liaison Office, Xiangjun Yao, stated that realizing the right to adequate food is directly and indirectly affected by climate change. She said that more than 800 million people currently suffered from hunger and 2 billion were affected by some form of malnutrition. Substantial production increases would be required to feed growing world populations. Climate change threatened food production and physical access to food. It endangered livelihoods. In a world already afflicted by famine and substantial food price volatility, some States had made progress in the fight against hunger that could inform future efforts. The analysis by FAO of national efforts to achieve the hunger target in the Millennium Development Goals revealed four key areas of intervention: nutrition and education; social protection; equitable access to resources and assets; and awareness-raising. Effective strategies included short-term provision of essential assistance coupled with protection and development of productive assets and infrastructure 12