Posted on November, 11 2022

11 November, 2022 - The deadline to decide on a mandate for the future of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture (the only formal process through which food and agriculture is included in UNFCCC) is due to expire tonight. Parties have still not agreed final text, and many issues continue to be debated. This is a critical moment for the future of food and agriculture in the UNFCCC. A low-ambition or delayed agreement threatens to close the window of opportunity to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We cannot afford for this to happen. Negotiators are due to meet at 8pm EET – here are five things to consider in the next few hours:
 

1. Why would negotiators consider limiting the agreement to only agriculture, when we need full food systems approaches, that also include consumption and loss and waste, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius?
2. Why, when food security is one of the most pressing issues in Africa, and globally, would negotiators fail to deliver a decision to implement climate-friendly, nature-positive food production practices that can help feed the world?
3. Why would negotiators not jump at the opportunity to formalise the need for collaboration with other entities in UNFCCC and beyond, necessary to deliver a systemic food transformation?
4. Why, when food systems contribute around 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, would some negotiators hesitate to include mitigation as part of the solution?
5. Why would negotiators risk undermining a formal decision that can leverage funding to implement food-based climate solutions?

 
“We must urgently align climate, food and nature goals. While there will be nuances in the agreed text, countries cannot get bogged down in semantics of institutional arrangements. The focus should be on putting in place an agreement that implements climate action through full food systems approaches, across production, consumption and loss and waste. Food security is becoming the defining challenge of this decade. We cannot afford further delay and a low-ambition agreement will benefit nobody,” said Joao Campari, Global Food Practice Leader, WWF.