Stockholm (NordSIP) – The food and agriculture sector is a major contributor to climate change, as well as being highly vulnerable to its effects. It is responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as roughly 70% of freshwater use and 80% of biodiversity loss. Nevertheless, the topic of food systems had not featured high up the agenda of past COP meetings until this Saturday 1 December when 134 world leaders signed a major agriculture, food, and climate action declaration.
The COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action covers a range of initiatives aimed at improved food systems’ resilience and nature restoration and protection. Roughly $2.5 billion has been committed to this cause so far by participating nations, which together account for 70% of global food production and 76% of total food system related GHG emissions.
Commenting on the Declaration, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and COP28 Food Systems Lead said: “There is no path to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and keeping 1.5C within reach that does not urgently address the interactions between food systems, agriculture, and climate. Countries must put food systems and agriculture at the heart of their climate ambitions, addressing both global emissions and protecting the lives and livelihoods of farmers living on the front line of climate change.”
Alongside the Declaration signed by national leaders, 155 non-state actors have issued a Call to Action on Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature, and Climate. The signatories represent a broad range of entities including frontline food systems actors as well as businesses, consumers, cities, civil society, educators, investors, multilateral institutions, regional governments, research agencies, and universities.
Non-state actors explicitly address fossil fuels
Among the listed actions is a move to align food systems with the 1.5°C goal, reducing absolute GHG emissions from food systems (including emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), and transitioning away from fossil fuel use within food systems while supporting access to renewable energy, especially in developing countries. The explicit reference to fossil fuels from the non-state actors contrasts with the vaguer reference in the world leaders’ declaration to “shifting from higher greenhouse gas-emitting practices to more sustainable production and consumption approaches.” Nevertheless, the presence in the non-state actors signatory list of several of the world’s Top 10 worst plastic polluters such as Nestlé, Danone, and Unilever signals the need for close and ongoing scrutiny of words being translated into effective actions.
These declarations on the proposed transformation of food systems are welcome, but they will need to be followed with the issuance of binding, timebound and independently verifiable targets. Analysis by non-governmental organisation DeSmog has revealed the extensive lobbying efforts of food and agriculture firms seeking to water down any formal commitments made at COP28 that could affect their current revenue streams.
December 10 will be the official Food, Agriculture, and Water Day at COP28, with sessions dedicated to farmers and traditional producers, food innovation, and resilient water systems among other themes. These may result in a more detailed plan of action in relation to these high-level statements of intent.
