IFOAM - International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

11/30/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/30/2023 09:49

Food systems and agriculture on the COP28 agenda! – what commitments can we expect

This year's UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP28) is starting in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With the ever-clearer impact of climate change being brought home the world over, each successive COP takes on greater urgency. Last year's event, COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, we felt we had fallen short of what was needed for meaningful progress on this critical issue.

This COP marks a significant milestone as the first conference with a primary emphasis on the sustainability of food systems and their pivotal role in attaining the goals of the Paris Agreement. In addition to allocating a specific day, December 10, to delve into discussions on food, agriculture, and water, the UAE, through its COP28 Food Systems and Agriculture Agenda, urges global leaders to endorse the COP28 Declaration on Resilient Food Systems, Sustainable Agriculture, and Climate Action.

IFOAM - Organics International will be at COP28 led by our President, Karen Mapusua, and delegates from IFOAM Organics Asia and organic farmers from at least three continents representing INOFO.

Climate action is significantly veering off course across all sectors, necessitating an immediate transition from mere commitments to active implementation. Our delegates will advocate for country representatives to embrace organic agriculture and agroecology in the international climate change policy process. This, combined with a broad food systems approach integrating all aspects and stakeholders along the value chain and beyond, presents a substantial opportunity to swiftly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Such an approach is crucial for maintaining the possibility of achieving a future within the 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature limit.

What we expect from COP

In order to achieve this, countries will need to:

  • include measures to promote and embrace agroecology and organic agriculture as well as support for plant-rich diets, minimally processed foods, and sustainably produced animal sourced proteins into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), National Determined Contributions (NDCs), and Long-term Strategies,
  • provide access to available financial support including climate funding to create more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems to smallholder farmers who currently only receive 0.3% of climate finance as well as rural women playing a crucial role in adopting sustainable agriculture practices,
  • agree on a fair and collaborative approach to phase out fossil fuels in food systems by 2050 and shifting to renewable energy for cooling, heating, drying, processing, and transport,
  • adopt a decision creating a Work Program on Just Transitions, guiding national governments on how to design transition pathways in food systems, including switching to farming practices that provide multiple benefits including carbon sequestration, farm resilience and biodiversity protection in a just and equitable manner,
  • design national processes that involve multi-stakeholder dialogue, collaboration and coordination, to better meet the needs of food systems stakeholders and support various outcomes that serve a shift towards circular economies,
  • empower youth as the generation of agricultural innovators and environmental stewards driving forward a nutritious, sustainable and resilient food system,
  • support agrifood systems that generate decent employment for rural, peri-urban and urban people, while supplying sustainable agrifood products that are affordable and healthy.

The good news is that, alongside the negotiations process, the Presidency set the following four key goals for COP28:

  • Fast-tracking a just, orderly, and equitable energy transition.
  • Fixing climate finance.
  • Putting nature, lives, and livelihoods at the heart of climate action.
  • And mobilising for the most inclusive COP so far.

The IFOAM delegation will do its best to hold the Presidency accountable for these commitments and make sure countries deliver on their ambitions to meet their climate goals. They will point out how so-called "climate-smart" solutions like the "efficient" use of fertilisers and pesticides will only further entrench harmful industrial food and agriculture systems.

We have successfully included organic agriculture as a sustainable approach to food production that delivers positive outcomes globally in the Non-State Actors Call to Action for Transforming Food Systems for People, Nature, and Climate. IFOAM - Organics International endorsed this call which was initiated by the Climate Champions' team and we encourage our members and network to use messages in there if you participate in events around the COP, be it online or in person.

Our Presence in COP 28

Event Title Venue Date Time IFOAM speaker
People & Places: agroecology and regenerative approaches from the start Food Systems Pavilion 02. Dez 15:30 Karina David
Farmers and Traditional Producers at The Heart of Food Systems Transformation Al Waha Theatre 10. Dez 09:00 Karina David and Bibong Widyarti
Ensuring Integrity: who owns, defines, and verifies regenerative food & agriculture systems? Food Systems Pavilion 02. Dez 11:00 Tanveer Sheikh Hossein
International "4 per 1000" Initiative: Let's put Soil Health higher on the international agenda & Act together now Dusit Thani Hotel 06. Dez 09:00 Tanveer Sheikh Hossein, video message from Jan Plagge, President, IFOAM - Organics Europe

If you are interested in learning more about what we do at COP28, please follow the updates on our social media channels.