COP28: FAO spotlights agrifood systems` potential to address climate impacts and achieve 1.5°C goal
FAO News - 13/12/2023
Rome/Dubai- Agrifood systems solutions are climate solutions and increased collaboration and finance are needed if the world is to achieve the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The message, spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners resonated over the past two weeks at the UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. From negotiation rooms to high-level plenary hall meetings, a dedicated pavilion and over 200 events focused on food and agriculture, the importance of transforming agrifood systems was highlighted throughout the global meeting.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu led a delegation of high-level officials and experts from relevant FAO streams contributing solutions to climate action. Rising to the occasion, FAO launched a series of significant reports including a new Global Roadmap process to eradicate hunger and keep the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement alive.
Here are some of the highlights:
- A leaders’ declaration to be fast-tracked into implementation through a collaborative coalition
- The Global Stocktake
Much attention at COP28 focused on the Global Stocktake, one of the pillars of the Paris Agreement.
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Loss and damage
The breakthrough agreement reached by world leaders to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund at the very start of COP28 was one of the early successes of the conference, a decision commended by FAO Director-General.
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The need for financing for agrifood systems and the launch of the FAST partnership Finding new paths to mitigate livestock emissions
Another important FAO contribution to COP28 was a new report that emphasizes the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from global livestock systems due to the increasing demand for terrestrial animal products and a growing world population.
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A report on restoring mountain ecosystems
In line with the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day, FAO and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) published a report at COP28 entitled “Restoring mountain ecosystems” which analyses 10 mountain ecosystem restoration projects and recommends how the UN Decade’s Ten Principles for Ecosystem Restoration can be applied to mountain ecosystems.
- New financing for fisheries management: Norway will contribute a budget of 1 billion NOK (almost $94 million) for the period 2024 to 2028.
- A technical report on flood management
- New FAO collaborations and partnerships: FAO Director-General QU Dongyu sealed collaborative partnerships by signing three crucial MoUs during COP28: Italy, AIIB: The MoU with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), WTO
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