UN Climate Summit: NGOs urge leaders to reform Agri-Food Systems
Press release from: True Animal Protein Price (TAPP) Coalition, Plant Based Treaty, A Well-Fed World, Feedback Global, ProVeg International and Global Youth Coalition; part of the Food and Climate Action Group
COP29 Deal needed to ‘transition away from meat overconsumption’
Baku, 14th November 2024 —At Finance Day 4 of the UN Climate conference COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, a group of global non-profit organizations and members of the Food & Climate Action Group, urge leaders of high-income countries to reform policies for agriculture and food, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with international commitments, scientific recommendations and a recent proposal from the World Bank. Low-carbon food products like vegetables need public support and subsidies. They produce fewer emissions but also require less land and water and contribute to healthier diets and reduced health costs.
Eleven months ago, during the last UN Climate Conference in Dubai, world leaders signed the COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels. Now, we urge world leaders to take the next step at COP29 in Baku or COP30 in Belém and commit to ‘just transition away from meat and dairy overconsumption’ for the sake of long-term global food security and climate resilience. Meat and dairy accounts for 14.5% to 19.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Overconsumption is especially high in OECD countries and China, far exceeding Dietary Guidelines and Planetary Boundaries, as well as the Planetary Health Diet. We call on Ursula von der Leyen, Keir Starmer, Justin Trudeau, Xi Jinping and other world leaders to make meaningful commitments.
Reforming agricultural practices, subsidies and food taxes
Our current food systems are harming our climate, nature and people’s health. By shifting to more plant-based, inclusive and resilient food systems, it is possible to feed the world with healthy diets within planetary boundaries.
The current pace of global action is not enough. Leaders must recognize that delaying agricultural reforms will only exacerbate climate impacts and deepen inequalities, especially in low-income nations already facing severe consequences of climate-induced disasters. We call for an urgent commitment to redirect subsidies for high-emission agricultural products in high and upper-middle income countries, and to redirect more public funds to support a just transition for farmers to lower animal agriculture production, and shift to more resilient, plant-based food systems and nature restoration that align with climate targets. With COP29 in Baku and COP30 in Rio on the horizon, there has never been a more critical time to lead a food systems revolution that prioritizes planetary health and protects our most vulnerable populations.
Stephanie Maw, Senior UN Policy & Advocacy Manager at ProVeg International and co-chair of the NGO coalition: “The global food system is one of the most significant contributors to climate change, responsible for 33% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture alone accounts for up to 20% of those emissions, a number that is projected to rise if no meaningful action is taken.”
Akshath Kaimal, who leads the coalition’s finance subgroup, and works at TAPP Coalition: “Reforming agricultural practices, subsidies and food taxes and prioritizing plant-based food consumption are critical to meeting the Paris Agreement targets. Current food systems disproportionately harm Indigenous communities and vulnerable groups in the Global South, where climate impacts are most severe. The newly established Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund provides an essential opportunity to support these communities, helping them recover from the economic damages caused by industrial agriculture. Our COP29 Declaration, endorsed by 27 countries, and 100+ NGOs has urged OECD countries and China to tax meat or start GHG-emission pricing (agri-ETS) to reduce emissions and cofinance the L&D Fund with (part of the) tax revenues”.
The animal agriculture sector is a key driver of land-use change and biodiversity loss, causing 13 billion hectares of deforestation annually, due to land conversion for agricultural uses as pastures or cropland, with detrimental effects on water, soil, biodiversity, and climate change. The total global herd size in “farmed animal” units is projected to rise by 37 up to 46 percent between 2012 and 2050, which does not align with the Paris Agreement goal of net zero emissions by 2050. The last IPCC report recognized these issues and proposed GHG-emission taxes on meat and dairy in high income countries. A COP28 FAO roadmap report proposed similar taxes. By focusing on pricing and taxation policies, targeted at meat processors, governments can incentivize a shift toward plant-based products and reduce farmed animals-related emissions. Such reforms are essential not only for mitigating climate change but also for ensuring that the most affected populations receive compensation for their losses and access to sustainable food systems. The Climate Action Network (CAN International), the largest global climate NGO, urged leaders on 8th October to tax polluting sectors and use tax revenues for climate finance of the Loss & Damage Fund.
ENDS
Note to the editor:
Media contact Jeroom Remmers : 0031 6 22 40 77 12 Email address info@tappcoalitie.nl
Here you can find the link to the Food & Climate Action Group press release and other resouces.
Here is the link to the COP29 declaration on Agri Food GHG emission pricing, endorsed by 27 countries at COP29
The Food & Climate Action group is a coalition of 25+ international NGOs advocating for food systems transformation within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Our mission is to promote long-term systemic change in food consumption and production at global and national levels, reducing reliance on animal-centric food systems and aligning with the Paris Agreement targets. The statement above represents the position of some of the Action Group’s members, which are listed below the statement. More details on the Action Group is available at https://www.foodandclimateaction.org/
There needs to be a shift towards more plant-based, healthy, and affordable diets and sustainable, resilient and inclusive agricultural practices that also support small-scale farmers/food producers and local communities. To achieve this, the Action Group engages with UNFCCC bodies and associated agencies, Parties and Non-Party Stakeholders, to influence policy instruments, principles, and negotiations made under the auspices of the UNFCCC.
Representatives of member organizations of the Food & Climate Action Group will be present at the COP29 Conference in Baku from 11-22 November: TAPP Coalition, ProVeg International, A Well-Fed World, Plant Based Treaty, Feedback and several more.
The Finance subgroup of the Food & Climate Action created this press release. TAPP Coalition, Plant Based Treaty and Feedback Global were the primary members to work on this.
Media coverage of press release (examples):
press release Food & Climate Action Group: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/66e9bef345d07c17491fc9ac/t/6738ca9c09770d2d0b25eafc/1731775134984/November+2024+Joint+statement+calling+COP29+leaders+to+tackle+agriculture%27s+emissions.pdf
Nigerian Tribune Online: https://tribuneonlineng.com/cop29-deal-needed-to-transition-away-from-meat-overconsumption-group/
https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/21918-what-anti-meat-activists-have-on-the-menu-at-cop29
https://table.media/en/climate/feature/food-transition-why-there-is-little-progress-at-cop29/