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We often refer to biodiversity by another name - nature. It is the rich variety of all life on Earth along with the places and spaces they call home - forests, grasslands, oceans, rivers and everything in between. We all depend on nature for food, water, clean air and more. But we're losing nature at an alarming rate, putting the planet and ourselves in increasing danger. It is critical that we conserve nature, for instance by creating protected areas and helping to grow population of animals under threat, is critical, but we can only restore nature at the required rate if we also transform food systems and reduce the impacts of our production and consumption. Food systems are presently the biggest driver of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. They cause 80% of deforestation and the degradation of many other precious habitats such as wetlands and grasslands, 70% of all biodiversity loss on land and 50% in freshwater, and produce around 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
A systemic and transformative approach is required, where we:
1. Produce with nature and not against it. We need a paradigm shift from maximizing production at the expense of nature, to optimizing production by working with nature - truly integrating nature and agriculture in a functional and mutually beneficial way. A large body of research shows that we can produce food for all of humanity and at the same time turn food production from a source of environmental degradation to a source of environmental restoration.
2. Ensure everybody has access to and adopts culturally-appropriate, sustainable and healthy diets. In fact, sustainable diets, which reduce negative impacts on nature, are the same as healthy diets, as they provide major health benefits across different countries, both developing and developed.
3. Radically reduce food loss and waste, as recognized in the SDGs.
4. Maintain the biodiversity basis of food production. Shifts in agriculture production and other transformative actions are needed to protect and restore soils’ biodiversity and pollinators.
The 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention of Biological Diversity (UNCBD COP16) met in Cali, Colombia in October and November 2024. This was the first COP since countries adopted the Kunming-Montral Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), an agreement intended to halt and reverse nature loss, similar to the Paris Climate Agreement designed to limit global warming to 1.5 degress Celsius.
Negotiations were suspended before agreement was reached on several issues. There was no agreement on a new biodiversity fund for developing countries, nor on a monitoring framework. This outcome risks undermining confidence in and the implementation of the KMGBF. There was however notabele progress in some areas related to food and agriculture.
The adoption of the Article 8(j) work programme and the Subsidiary Body guarantees the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the work undertaken under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Through this Programme, rights, contributions and traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are further embedded in the global agenda. Given a significant amount of food is produced by smallholder farmers, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities, this will help improve livelihoods and (economic) development opportunities, benefit sharing, and food security, while enabling the widespread adoption of nature-positive food production.
The Cali Fund was established to share the benefits derived from using digital sequence information (DSI) from genetic resources. Companies using DSI from genetic biodiversity resources in their products will need to pay a portion of their profits or revenues into the fund. While the disbursement details are still being finalized, it has been agreed that 50% of the fund will be allocated to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, either directly or through governments. This will enable these communities, including women and youth to finally share in the profits. Again, this will reward smallholders for implementing nature-positive production practices.
The COP adopted a strong Decision on mainstreaming biodiversity conservation, which includes strengthened engagement with multilateral bodies (including on transition plans), the development of communities of practices, and support to Parties on mainstreaming. Outside of negotiations, some 18 Parties came together to form a Champions Group on Mainstreaming. This is led by Mexico and Colombia and WWF, together with TNC. This presents a major opportunity to engage agri-businesses and financial institutions to contribute to the integration of a food systems approach in NBSAPs and concrete private sector actions to support this.
Alongside these formal negotiations, food systems were more noticeably present in side events and pavilions at the COP. Overall, there was a strong call for food systems approaches to be integrated in more ambitious National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) although only 44 countries have submitted revised NBSAPs and 119 Parties have submitted revised National Targets, representing around 63% of countries.
ALIGNING THE RIO CONVENTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION
WWF has identified four key actions which international bodies, national policymakers and other stakeholders across food systems, including the private sector, investors and financiers and NGOs, should prioritize at the upcoming COPs:
1. ELEVATE FOOD SYSTEMS AS A PRIORITY
Integrate food and agriculture into national plans (NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs, LDNs) and collective agreements
2. USE FOOD SYSTEMS AS AN ENTRY-POINT FOR SYNERGIES
Prioritize and promote solutions with multiple benefits e.g. agroecology
3. SCALE UP FINANCE FOR FOOD SYSTEMS Increase total and proportional amount of finance related to food systems, and ensure it reaches actors implementing solutions on the ground and in the water
4. MULTISTAKEHOLDER, EQUITABLE APPROACH
Ensure all stakeholders are part of decision-making processes, leveraging local and traditional knowledge, and increasing representation for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, women, youth and other under-represented groups
FOOD FORWARD NBSAPs
Through an analysis of the updated NBSAPs (23 submissions) and National Targets (41 submissions) submitted by 64 Parties under the GBF as of September 30, 2024, we have found that while many countries are recognising that food systems are a crucial part of progress towards the GBF Targets, additional measures and implementation of these plans are needed. It is concerning that so few countries have submitted NBSAPs two years on from the signing of the GBF.
BOOSTING BIODIVERSITY WITH AGROECOLOGY
WWF and partners have published new guidance for integrating agroecology and food systems into the development and implementation of NBSAPs in alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
BUILDING SYNERGIES IN BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE ACTION
GRASSLAND CONSERVATION TO ACHIEVE GBF TARGETS
