COP27 – A Step in the Right Direction in Scaling Up Innovations for a Climate-Smart Future

Two weeks of this year’s UN Climate Conference, COP27 in November ended with a breakthrough agreement on New “Loss and Damage” Fund for Vulnerable Countries but a worrying lack of progress in other areas, for instance increasing ambition and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Food systems and agriculture were visible and high up the climate agenda at COP27 compared to previous COPs. The official COP programme featured the first ever Adaptation and Agriculture Day, a demonstration of the importance of food systems transformation in achieving climate, nature and development goals. The UAE host of next year’s COP has committed to carry on this precedent. This is a strong signal about agriculture’s importance in the COP next year. Five food-focused pavilions held an unprecedented number of agriculture and or food systems events. Several key initiatives were announced by public and private stakeholders, the most significant being – Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) and Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN). Discussing nutrition is a step in the right direction.

Parties through the cover decision, known as the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan agreed to establish a four-year joint work on implementing climate action on agriculture and food security. The new joint work aims to coordinate climate action in agriculture and provide support and technical advice to UNFCCC parties and bodies while enhancing research and development in the field.

Emerging Ag is proud to have supported convening 18 side events, including two official COP27 side events, assisting a wide range of actors in their work to transform our agri-food systems. Emerging Ag is thrilled to have brought innovative solutions to make agri-food systems more efficient, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable to the climate crisis.