Agriculture in the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement was reached during the 2015 COP21 climate summit, whose main goal is to limit climate change and its harmful effects. This transition to a sustainable world includes attaining a hunger-free, equitable, climate-resilient and low-emissions future; and agriculture, the main GHG contributor and most vulnerable sector to climate change, must therefore be central to this agenda.
Figure 1 - Countries that refer to agriculture and land use in their adaptation strategies (above) and in their mitigation strategies (below) (FAO 2016)
With 38% of the Earth's terrestrial surface covered by agriculture, turning fields into C sinks becomes critical to limiting the rapid increase in atmospheric CO2. And with 815 million people undernourished worldwide, adapting food production becomes critical to preventing further hunger.
Consequently, over 85% of the developing countries included agriculture and/or land use in their mitigation commitments, and over 90% referred to agriculture in their adaptation strategies (Figure 1). Adaptation-mitigation synergies also have a high potential in agriculture: a single action favours both strategies. Climate-smart agriculture, and ecosystem-based mitigation (reducing GHGs) and adaptation (building resilience to environmental changes) of farms were also discussed as major strategies for building resilience in food production while reducing its environmental impacts (video 3:40 onwards).
To achieve their climate commitments, developing countries urged international technical and capacity support, including a technology transfer for monitoring, increasing efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy; as well as sharing their expertise for developing policies and implementing the best management practices. Poor countries also demanded financial support to carry out their adaptation and mitigation strategies. Some international climate funding already existed before the agreement, but it mainly focused on mitigation, yet countries see adaptation as the main priority, and smallholders barely had access to loans. Nevertheless, this funding scheme has already seen some progress since the agreement (video 0:00).
Consequently, over 85% of the developing countries included agriculture and/or land use in their mitigation commitments, and over 90% referred to agriculture in their adaptation strategies (Figure 1). Adaptation-mitigation synergies also have a high potential in agriculture: a single action favours both strategies. Climate-smart agriculture, and ecosystem-based mitigation (reducing GHGs) and adaptation (building resilience to environmental changes) of farms were also discussed as major strategies for building resilience in food production while reducing its environmental impacts (video 3:40 onwards).
To achieve their climate commitments, developing countries urged international technical and capacity support, including a technology transfer for monitoring, increasing efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy; as well as sharing their expertise for developing policies and implementing the best management practices. Poor countries also demanded financial support to carry out their adaptation and mitigation strategies. Some international climate funding already existed before the agreement, but it mainly focused on mitigation, yet countries see adaptation as the main priority, and smallholders barely had access to loans. Nevertheless, this funding scheme has already seen some progress since the agreement (video 0:00).
Video - Progress of some of the climate commitments on agriculture after the COP21, by the FAO
The Paris Agreement therefore opens an avenue for sustainable agro-ecology to be increasingly adopted worldwide, and particularly in developing countries.
Diego Garcia-Vega - Novembre 6th 2017
Diego Garcia-Vega - Novembre 6th 2017