Tackling climate change is central to achieving a sustainable future for the world’s growing population and food security must lie at the heart of these efforts. Climate change is one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss. The stressors and risks posed by climate change to the various sectors of genetic resources for food and agriculture (plants, animals, forests, aquatic resources, invertebrates and micro-organisms) are manifold. However, genetic resources for food and agriculture are also expected to play a significant role in mitigation of and adaptation to the consequences of climate change in support of efforts to achieve food security and nutrition objectives. Genetic resources could contribute greatly to our efforts to cope with climate change, but in many cases the magnitude and speed of climate change will surpass our ability to identify, select, reproduce and – eventually – use these resources in the field. Climate change is already affecting natural ecosystems and food production systems.