Farmers

As the 'Katowice Climate Package' is adopted, Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, takes a giant leap for climate action The Katowice Climate Change conference continued on Saturday, a day after its scheduled close. Delegates engaged in consultations throughout the day to finalize the decisions for the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP).The plenary convened at 9:30 pm to consider the decisions. CMA 1-3 was gavelled to a close on Sunday morning at 12:33 am. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018.   Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Closing Plenary UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa arrives in plenary Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, arrives in plenary Delegates stand at the beginning of plenary and hold a minute of silence in honour of Bernarditas Muller, Philippines Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa As the 'Katowice Climate Package' is adopted, Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, invites heads of delegation to the podium Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, thanks delegates for their help in achieving the 'Katowice Climate Package' Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, European Commission Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Amjad Abdulla, Maldives, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Patrick Suckling, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Mohamed Nasr, Gabon, speaking on behalf of the African Group Ravi Prasad, India, speaking on behalf of Brazil, South Africa, India, and China (BASIC) Albara Tawfiq, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Gebru Jember Endalew, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Gurdial Singh, Malaysia, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Zakir Hossain, Farmers Shaila Shahid, Women and Gender Joint statement on behalf of Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Delegates Consult Informally Delegates from the EU, US, Australia, and Switzerland Delegates from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the COP 24 Presidency Delegates from Switzerland and Norway Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, speaks with Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland Ministers from Luxembourg and Spain speak with delegates from the EU and Norway Delegates huddle during the final stages of negotiations UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Martin Frick, UNFCCC Secretariat Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister for Housing, Energy, and the Environment, Finland Pieter Terpstra, the Netherlands, and Philip Weech, Bahamas Katarzyna Snyder, COP 24 Presidency Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Turkey Family Photos UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa poses for a photo with the delegation from Mexico The COP 24 Presidency Family photo of the UNFCCC Secretariat Family photo of negotiators working on ex-ante finance transparency (Article 9.5) Family photo of negotiators working on the transparency framework Family photo of negotiators for the transparency framework from the G-77/China Tribute to Bernarditas Muller After learning of her passing, delegates pay tribute to Bernarditas Muller, Philippines, who was recognised for her commitment and dedication to the UNFCCC, a 'legend within the process' Around the Venue SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Seyni Nafo, Mali, and Zaheer Fakir, South Africa Delegates read the latest draft of text Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Issa Bado, International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) Matt McGrath, BBC Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Staff around the venue  

As the Talanoa Dialogue draws to a close, Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, thanks Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President, for bringing the Fijian tradition of Talanoa into the negotiation process,   The Katowice Climate Change Conference continued on Wednesday, with most negotiations happening at the ministerial level. For some issues, ministers conducted open-ended consultations, while for others ministers and delegations engaged in more informal settings. The Presidency’s texts were released in the afternoon for most issues. In the evening, two heads of delegation meetings convened.The Talanoa Dialogue concluded its political phase. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated "it is time for consensus,” and called for “compromise, as our last best chance to stop run-away climate change." He further cautioned, that failing to do so would "not only be immoral, it would be suicidal.” At the conclusion of the Talanoa Dialogue, COP 23 President Frank Bainimarama and COP 24 President Michał Kurtyka launched the Talanoa Call for Action. For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page High-level Segment Delegates during the high-level segment Wallace Cosgrow, Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change, Seychelles Lina Dolores Pohl Alfaro, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador Ricardo José Lozano Picón, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia Mokoto Francis Hloaele, Minister of Energy and Meteorology, Lesotho Simon Stiell, Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, and Disaster Management and Information, Grenada Heryck Rangel, Minister of People's Power for Ecosocialism, Venezuela Informal and Presidency Consultations throughout the Day Presidency's open-ended ministerial consultations on finance Delegates huddle during informal consultations on linkages between the Technology Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism Presidency's open-ended ministerial consultations on transparency Closing of the Talanoa Dialogue Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President UN Secretary-General António Guterres UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, and National Disaster Management, Fiji Sławomir Mazurek, Deputy Minister of the Environment, Poland Xiaofeng Guo, China Doris Leuthard, Switzerland Members of NGO constituencies (L-R): Ching Wen Yang, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs); Taily de Faria Marcos Terena, Women and Gender; Mariano Sanz Lubeiro, Trade Union NGOs (TUNGOs); Michael Lazarus, Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs); Cor Lamers, Local Government and Municipal Authorities (LGMAs); Naw Ei Ei Min, Indigenous Peoples; Bjørn Gimming, Farmers; and Sandeep Chauhan, Business and Industry NGOs (BINGOs) Michael Lazarus, RINGOs Ching Wen Yang, YOUNGOs Taily de Faria Marcos Terena, Women and Gender Sandeep Chauhan, BINGOs The 'People's Seat' is present during the session, representing the millions of stories collected digitally As the Talanoa Dialogue draws to a close Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President, and Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, stand with Timoci Naulusala, Fiji, and Hanna Wojdowska, Poland, representing the future generations Civil Society Demonstrations Representatives of the Jubilee South Asia Pacific Movement share stories of how climate change impacts food, land, and water in different regions around the world, and call on delegates to include the protection of human rights in the negotiations Representatives of ACT Alliance and Christian Aid call for greater financing for developing countries by staging an interactive game where delegates 'roll the dice' to see what outcomes they can achieve in the negotiations High Ambition Coalition Press Conference Representatives and Ministers hold a press conference to announce the revival of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) to step up ambition David Paul, Minister of the Environment, Marshall Islands, and Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, European Commission A journalist takes notes during the briefing Delegates flood the hallway to enter the event Around the Venue UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa and UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrive in plenary Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Todd Stern, World Resources Institute (WRI) Al Gore, Climate Reality Project Derek Hanekom, Minister of Tourism, South Africa Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs, China UN Secretary-General António Guterres Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Belgium, holds up his '1.5°C' tie during a Climate Action Network (CAN) International press conference Panel speakers during a high-level event (L-R): Ingrid Hoven, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands; Emma Howard Boyd, Chair, Environment Agency UK; Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Naoko Ishii, CEO, the Global Environment Facility (GEF); and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Delegates from the African Group Members of the COP 24 Presidency and UNFCCC Secretariat Delegates from the EU Co-facilitators and Secretariat from the informal consultations on transparency Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaks with members of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Around the exhibition area  

  Act!on Agriculture: Tuesday 11 December The second day of Act!on Agriculture featured sessions on agricultural development, scaling up agroecology, markets for sustainable production, and experience sharing from farmers working to reduce emissions. During the first session titled, “Agriculture Development for Climate Benefit,” participants listened to presentations on agricultural development projects, including case studies from the Colombian dairy sector and incentives that enable reduction of greenhouse gases in ice paddies in Vietnam. Participants also discussed how agriculture development investments can secure “triple wins” by increasing productivity while reducing emissions and building resilience to the impacts of climate change.The second session, titled “Scaling-up Agroecology,” focused on the performance of agroecology in enabling farmers to achieve higher production, and environmental, social and sanitary standards, while avoiding the use of fossil fuels and chemicals. During the roundtable discussion, panelists shared real-life experiences of scaling up agroecology.The session on “Market Demand for Sustainably Produced Food” addressed changes in consumer behavior, and evolving trends towards sustainable living. Participants also heard about Ireland’s experience in promoting sustainable food sourcing through developing charters with farmers, food companies and retailers. During the final session, farmers from Argentina, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia shared stories on their experiences in sustainable and resilient crop and livestock farming that ensure profitable ventures while reducing emissions. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided web coverage from the COP24 Act!on Agriculture, as well as a summary report in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Agriculture Development for Climate Benefit   Bruce Campbell, CGIAR   Fekadu Beyene, Commissioner for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ethiopia   Panelists during the event   Liz Wedderburn, AgResearch, New Zealand   Juan Lucas Restrepo, Chief Executive, AGROSAVIA   A view of the room during the event L-R: Jessica Bensemann, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand; Paxina Chileshe-Toe, International Fund for Agriculture Development; Lee Nelson, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; Chu Van Chuong, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam   Lee Nelson, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research   Jessica Bensemann, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand   Paxina Chileshe-Toe, International Fund for Agriculture Development   Chu Van Chuong, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam   A participant asks a question   A participant listens to the discussion Participants at the event Scaling-up Agroecology – Performance on the Ground   Alain Peeters, Secretary of Agroecology Europe   Murielle Trouillet, France   Martial Bernoux, FAO   Pierre Rousseau, BNP Paribas   Bertrand Mathieu, Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF)   A participant asks a question   Valérie Dermaux, France   Participants examine materials from the event Market Demand for Sustainably Produced Food   Bill Callanan, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland   Grace Binchy, Bord Bia - Irish Food Board   Michael Maloney, Bord Bia - Irish Food Board   John Kaganga, Climate Action Network, Uganda Farmers Working Towards Lower Emissions   Ben O’Brien, Beef + Lamb New Zealand   Christian Feldkamp, Executive Director CREA Argentina   Conor Mulvihill, Dairy Industry Ireland   Pip Band, Meat and Livestock Australia   David Burger, DairyNZ   A participant asks a question   Mereseini Marau, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat   Participants interact after the event  

  Act!on Agriculture Monday 10 December The first day of the three-day Act!on Agriculture event took place on 10 December 2018. The day featured three sessions, beginning with a ministerial discussion, followed by two technical sessions: Farmers Working Towards Lower Emissions; and Resilient, Productive, Efficient Pacific Agriculture under the Paris Agreement.The ministerial opening brought together ministers from New Zealand, Vanuatu, the Netherlands, Uganda and Australia to discuss challenges faced by food production systems in limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Ministers shared strategies for ensuring that agriculture can contribute to achieving the aims of the Paris Agreement.The first technical session focused on how farmers have contributed to reducing emissions and building climate resilience while also improving farm productivity. Discussions included the best ways to achieve knowledge sharing and recognition of farmers’ contributions to emission reductions.During the second technical session, scientists and farmers discussed technologies, techniques and practices that help build productive, resilient agricultural systems in the Pacific while reducing emissions. Discussions covered major threats to agriculture in the Pacific and collaboration that could help address them. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided web coverage from the COP24 Act!on Agriculture, as well as a summary report in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Ministerial Opening James Shaw, Minister for Climate Change, New Zealand   Theo de Jager, President, World Farmers’ Organisation   Melissa Lee Price, Minister for Environment, Australia   Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Vanuatu   Marjolijn Sonnema, Vice Minister for Agriculture, the Netherlands   Mary Goretti Kitutu, Minister for Water and Environment, Uganda   Hayden Montgomery, Special Representative, Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases   L-R: Melissa Lee Price, Minister for Environment, Australia; Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Vanuatu; Theo de Jager, President, World Farmers’ Organisation   Dawit Solomon, Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR)   Participants listened to the discussion   Kosi Latu, Director-General, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Participants at the event Farmers Working Towards Lower Emissions   David Burger, DairyNZ   Ben O’Brien, Beef + Lamb New Zealand   Turi McFarlane, Nuffield Scholar   Katie Milne, President, Federated Farmers of New Zealand   Craige MacKenzie, Founder & Director, Agri Optics, New Zealand   Christopher Brankin, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu L-R: Katie Milne, President, Federated Farmers of New Zealand; Christopher Brankin, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu; Turi McFarlane, Nuffield Scholar; Craige MacKenzie, Founder & Director, Agri Optics, New Zealand; and Ben O’Brien, Beef + Lamb New Zealand   Elizabeth Wedderburn, New Zealand   Joel Wynhorst, Global Voices Participants take part in the discussion Resilient, Productive, Efficient: Pacific Agriculture under the Paris Agreement   Margarita Astralaga, International Fund for Agricultural Development   Iwona Piechowiak, Pacific Community   Ulamila Lutu, Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT)   Minoru Nishi Jr, Managing Director, Nishi Trading Company, Tonga   Jabujka Aikne, Farmer, Republic of the Marshall Islands   Susana Yalikanacea, Fijian Organic Farmer   Gibson Susumu, Pacific Community   Lee Nelson, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research   A participant makes a comment   Participants at the event  

Highlights for Friday, 7 December 2018 A delegate reads draft negotiating text before an informal consultation Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Saturday, 8 December 2018 The Katowice Climate Change Conference continued in informal consultations throughout the day, focusing on the issues related to the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP). Under the Ad Hoc Working Group for the Paris Agreement (APA), parties discussed the new texts issued by the APA Co-Chairs. The APA met in a stocktaking session in the evening, where the Co-Chairs announced that they would issue a new iteration of draft text in the morning of Saturday, 8 December. With one day left for the technical round of negotiations, several delegations worked to ensure that their preferred options were reflected in the texts before more politically-focused negotiations convene in the second week of the conference.For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Informal Consultations throughout the Day Family photo of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples' Platform SBI informal consultations on the development of a public registry referred to in Paris Agreement Article 7.12 (adaptation communication) SBI/SBSTA informal consultations on the joint annual report of the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) Informal consultations on implementation and compliance (APA item 7) Between informal consultations, delegates read draft negotiating text APA Stocktake Delegates in plenary during the APA Stocktake Gebru Jember Endalew, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Mohamed Nasr, Gabon, speaking on behalf of the African Group Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Majid Shafiepour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) APA Co-Chairs Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia Marcia Levaggi, Argentina, speaking on behalf of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay Nicole Wilke, EU Facilitative Sharing of Views Delegates during the facilitative sharing of views Country presentation by Mongolia Country presentation by Togo Delegates from Japan and the EU ask questions during the session Multilateral Assessment Delegates during the multilateral assessment Country presentation by Germany Country presentation by the Czech Republic Delegates from Indonesia and the US ask questions during the session SBI and SBSTA Chairs' Dialogue with Observer Organizations View of the dais during the dialogue with observers SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini, and SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Moderator Ceris Jones, Farmers Norine Kennedy, Business and Industry NGOs (BINGOs) Manfred Treber, Climate Action Network (CAN) International Zenabou Segda, Women and Gender Bert de Wel, Trade Union NGOs (TUNGOs) Civil Society Demonstrations In an action organized by CliMates, members of civil society advocate for the 'eight rights-based principles of the Paris Agreement preamble' to be included in the 'Paris Agreement Rulebook' Members of the International Federation of Medical Students' Organizations raise awareness about the impact that climate change has on human health Members of civil society call for climate justice, highlighting that '1.5°C is key' to ensuring a sustainable future Around the Venue Delegates gather at the start of the day Youth delegates from the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, UAE, and Mari Luomi, Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Carlos Fuller, Belize (left), speaks with delegates Anna Schulz, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), speaks with Ian Fry, Tuvalu Delegates between sessions Delegates meet informally The National Poland Forest Group plays in the exhibition area

Highlights for Wednesday, 5 December 2018 Members of civil society tell negotiators they are moving too slowly and that time is running out Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Wednesday, 5 December 2018 The Katowice Climate Change Conference continued on Wednesday with technical negotiations, but decision makers also began to engage at more political levels on key issues in the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP).Throughout the day, informal consultations and contact groups took place as delegates worked through key negotiation issues ranging from finance to the transparency framework. The technical part of the stocktake on pre-2020 implementation and ambition convened in the morning. It will inform the political part of this stocktake taking place next week.At the political level, the COP 24 Presidency began meeting with heads of delegation to discuss the decision emerging from this meeting (Decision 1/CP.24). Other Presidency meetings focused on the Talanoa Dialogue and the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C, and the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples’ Platform.For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Pre-2020 Stocktake on Implementation and Ambition View of plenary during the session Thelma Krug, Vice-Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Moderator Ben Garside, Carbon Pulse SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Tomasz Chruszczow, Special Envoy for Climate Change and High‐level Champion for COP 24, Poland Gustavo Fonseca, Director of Programs, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Dinara Gershinkova, Vice-Chair, Technology Executive Committee (TEC) Pa Ousman Jarju, Director of Country Programming, Green Climate Fund (GCF) Qi Yue, China Nur Masripatin, Indonesia Informal Consultations throughout the Day Informal consultations on mitigation (APA item 3) Informal consultations on implementation and compliance (APA item 7) SBSTA informal consultations on Paris Agreement Article 6 SBSTA informal consultations on the technology framework SBI informal consultations on the development and transfer of technology SBI informal discussions on the development of a public registry referred to in Paris Agreement Article 7.12 (adaptation communication) COP 24 Presidency's Open Dialogue Participants during the session Artur Lorkowski, COP 24 Presidency Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Peter Glynn, Business and Industry NGOs (BINGOs) Thor Kofoed, Farmers Jisun Hwang, Local Government and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Michael Charles, Indigenous Peoples Delegates stand in the back as the room is filled to capacity Civil Society Demonstrations On 'Change Wednesday,' Sustaina Claus calls on delegates to 'smile, change, and unplug' to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), hoping COP 24 will deliver a Christmas miracle Members of the Women and Gender constituency demonstrate in the hallway, calling for an end to the rise of "macho-fascism" rooted in the political world and "choking" the Paris Agreement's ambition on climate action Participants in the action call for all people to rise up for gender and climate justice In an action organised by the Earth Council, civil society participants hold a slow-motion flashmob in the main lobby, saying that negotiations are moving too slowly and reminding delegates that urgent action is needed to address climate change Around the Venue UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa speaks with Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Zitouni Ould-Dada, Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO), speaks with SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Marcin Krupa, Mayor of Katowice, and Tomasz Chruszczow, Special Envoy for Climate Change and High‐level Champion for COP 24, Poland Franz Perrez, Switzerland, during an interview Gustavo Fonseca, GEF, speaks with delegates Seyni Nafo, Mali Abdullah K. Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Harjeet Singh, ActionAid Delegates from the African Group Delegates between sessions Greta Thunberg, Swedish youth climate activist Coal on display at the Poland exhibition Products made from coal on display

The following event was covered by IISD Reporting Services on Tuesday, 4 December 2018: Climate is Changing. Shouldn’t the Food Systems Change Too? Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Climate is Changing. Shouldn’t the Food Systems Change Too? Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) L-R: Theo de Jager, World Farmers’ Organization; Zitouni Ould-Dada, Climate and Environment Division, FAO; Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International; and Nico Nettelmann, ProVeg International The side event explored the scaling up of efforts leading to sustainable agriculture at a national and global level. During the event, participants exchanged views on what needs to be done outside the UN Framework Convention Climate Change (UNFCCC) mechanisms to help transform the agriculture sector and to implement these actions at the national level, as well as actions that need to be taken in the agriculture sector to achieve the Paris Agreement. Zitouni Ould-Dada, Climate and Environment Division, FAO, moderated the event, highlighting three challenges related to food production and consumption: having a food system that produces food with less greenhouse gas emissions; having food systems that are climate resilient; and responding to the growing population by producing food in a sustainable way. He stressed that the expected global demand for food will be 70% higher by 2050, and highlighted the need for a transformation of food systems to respond to these challenges. He stated that consumers have an impact on the planet in terms of food demand and that a transformation is needed to combat the threat of climate change to food security. Theo de Jager, World Farmers’ Organization, said that farmers are one of the most vulnerable groups to climate change, and explained that the food chain is an interactive chain of players from bankers who finance production to farmers. He emphasized that agricultural production differs from natural production because nature does not produce a surplus of goods. He underscored the need to ensure the sustainability of our planet and consider its current capacity, and pointed to the need for the sustainable extraction of raw materials. Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International, stressed that our food systems are not fit for purpose in the era of climate change, noting that they are distorted and illogical. She expressed concern regarding the growing number of players in these systems who “do not serve the planet” and “do not help farmers have equitable livelihoods.” She underscored the need to build a system that helps farmers adapt and cope with the disastrous impact of climate change and that their role in the transformation process has to be acknowledged. She articulated her vision of a world with stronger local food systems, where food should not have to travel long distances. She also emphasized the importance of biodiversity-friendly farming, seed diversity and including women farmers’ voices. Nico Nettelmann, ProVeg International, described the “50 by 40 approach” that aims to reduce animal production by 50% by 2040. He underscored the need to shift away from animal protein, and called for concrete action towards this end. He noted that the change of the food system is a novel endeavor, and stressed that the key to achieving this transformation is inclusivity, with governments and local-level actors being active contributors. He outlined three steps in the system transition: the need for a peak livestock production before the reduction phase; identifying the type of animal causing the worst impact; and replacing it with the best available food. He concluded by envisioning a world where everyone chooses food that is good for humans, animals and the planet. In the ensuing discussion, participants considered: the health and nutrition aspects of also including fruit and vegetables in trying to reduce meat consumption; using farmers’ knowledge to produce food in urban environments; the power of consumers in influencing the demand for food products; and factors that could assist the transformation, including the need for shorter rotation of livestock and genetically-improved cattle that can produce more milk, and focusing emission reduction efforts in the Northern Hemisphere where most of the production takes place. Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International Theo de Jager, World Farmers’ Organization Nico Nettelmann, ProVeg International Dombaxe Dola, United Kingdom Youth Climate Coalition Juno Berthelsen, Nordic Council of Ministers Natalie Bennett, Sheffield Green Party Richard Bramley, British farmer Louisa Volple, World Farmer’s Organisation A shot of the room during the event Participants at the event CONTACT Liva Kaugure | liva.kaugure@fao.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.fao.org/climate-change/en/ Around the Venue