Appreciation of potential negative outcomes of seemingly positive actions

December 16, 2022
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Fabio Niespolo

Inherent in every climate adaptation and mitigation measure are risks, costs, and benefits. The challenge for decision-makers is how to choose measures that reduce climate change risks and provide overwhelmingly beneficial outcomes. Fortunately, a range of win-win solutions exist.

On November 15^th at the IICA COP27 Sustainable Agriculture of the Americas Pavilion, Emerging ag convened a side event on “Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Addressing the Unintended Consequences”. The side event demonstrated that climate solutions that directly reduce emissions, reduce if not eradicate hunger, poverty, and inequality do exist.

Panelists highlighted the critical need to connect global climate change mitigation policies to local dynamics. The importance of contextualizing global measures at local scales and prioritizing sustainable mitigation and adaptation solutions was emphasized throughout the side event. Some of the cascading co-benefits include ensuring future food security, abundant access to clean energy, the preservation and restoration of life on land and in the oceans, improving gender equality and ensuring inclusive economic growth for all.