Welcome to the fifth issue of FAO's e-newsletter on Climate Change and Food Security.
This update includes announcements of FAO's upcoming events on climate change, information on the outcomes of various international meetings, such as a workshop on national forest inventories in which the UN-REDD programme also participated and other conferences held with FAO's participation. Special attention is given to the latest activities on climate change in countries such as Chile, Nicaragua and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As the 30th Session of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies is currently underway, this month’s interview touches upon the importance of including agriculture in a future agreement post-2012 and the capacity of soil to sequester carbon, as documented in an FAO submission for the UNFCCC negotiation. Also featured in this issue are presentations of publications as well as interesting new sections recently added to the FAO Climate Change web portal.
| Interview | Upcoming events | From the field |
| Featured map |
Interview with Caterina Batello, Senior Officer, Plant Production and Protection Division FAO
Foto/ENBAs countries enter the final negotiation phase for a new climate change agreement, FAO along with other international organizations is contributing to the talks by supporting countries in their task of defining a shared vision of action for climate change.
In this interview, Senior Officer, Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO Caterina Batello gives her insight on why including agriculture in a future climate change agreement is so important based on FAO’s latest submission to the UNFCCC entitled “Grasslands: enabling their potential to contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation”
Only six months are left for the next COP 15, how is FAO preparing to support the negotiations for a new climate change agreement in Copenhagen next December 2009?
FAO has been constantly present during the different meetings in which parties gather to negotiate the contents of a new climate change agreement and it will continue to do so through the participation in several side events during the next upcoming climate change talks in Bonn next June. It will also host a dedicated side event on agriculture, land and climate change on 5 June in Bonn.
The side event will be an opportunity to provide information on the potential of mitigation from agriculture across different subsectors - grasslands, livestock, agroforestry and conservation agriculture, as well as co-benefits. We will also look into FAO submission on grasslands and their potential for mitigation. The document was prepared based on the outcome of a workshop held at FAO from 15-17 April 2009 gathering 27 experts from around the world and input from members of the grasslands Carbon Working Group.
Why is the agriculture sector so important in the fight against climate change?
Agriculture is extremely important in the fight against climate change because it accounts for roughly 14 percent of global GHGs, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and emissions from land use-change alone are around 17 percent of total GHG emissions.
A lot of attention has been given to the role of forests in the reduction of carbon although land uses under agriculture also have a high potential to reduce and remove a significant amount of Green House Gases (GHGs). There is also a strong linkage between forestry because agriculture is a main driver of deforestation in developing countries. Many forests are cut down to convert them in land for pasture and rangelands.
What are the benefits of sequestering carbon from grassland soils?
According to the IPCC, the technical mitigation potential of agriculture could reach 5.5-6 Gt of CO2e per year by 2030. Most of this mitigation potential can be achieved through improved rangeland management practices, restoration of degraded lands and adequate cropland management, all practices that have a high potential to promote build up of carbon. Approximately 30 percent of this potential can be achieved in developed countries and 70 percent in developing countries.
Recent studies show that improved grassland management can increase the resilience of the ecosystems and rural populations to climate change. Improved grassland ecosystems not only bring productivity and economic benefits but also have a significant impact on carbon sequestration.
What example are there of the multiple benefits of applying improved grassland management techniques?
A concrete example can be seen from in the GEF-silvopastoral project developed in Nicaragua, Colombia and Costa Rica. Compensation of farmers for environmental services within the project resulted in a wide adoption of these systems enhancing carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes dominated with cattle.
Why should grasslands be included as a mitigation option in the negotiations of a post-Kyoto climate change agreement?
Grasslands if appropriately managed, have a great potential for sequestering carbon and a potential for contributing to GHG mitigation. If it is recognized within an agreement as an effective mitigation option it would most likely lead to an expansion of land-base sequestration, facilitating empowerment of the almost one-billion people dependent upon grasslands, improving significantly their livelihoods.
What policy considerations should be taken into account to realize the full potential of grasslands for mitigation and adaptation to climate change?
To build an enabling policy framework to fulfil grasslands’ mitigation potential five key areas should be taken into consideration:
- full GHG accounting;
- measurements and monitoring;
- training and capacity building;
- policy measures in the environmental and agricultural sectors;
- financing options.
To read the latest FAO submission to the UNFCCC on “Grasslands: enabling their potential to contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation” please click here.
Upcoming events
Climate Change talks in Bonn in June: Session of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies
The UNFCCC Convention subsidiary bodies (SBSTA) and its Ad Hoc working groups will meet in Bonn, Germany from 1 to12 June to hold its 30th session and continue negotiations on a new response to climate change for 2012.
In the run-up to the UNFCCC 15th Conference of the Parties to be held in Copenhagen next December 2009, the Chair of one of the working groups has prepared two key documents, one focusing on amendments to the Kyoto Protocol relating to emission reduction commitments of industrialized countries and a second on a wide variety of issued ranging from emissions trading and the project-based mechanisms to land use, land-use change and forestry. These documents will provide a basis for the group to intensify negotiations that should lead to a globally agreed-upon commitment to face climate change and its impacts.
FAO will be hosting a side event on Agriculture land and climate change on 5 June (from 13-15 h) at the Ministry of transport in Bonn providing information on mitigation from agriculture across different subsectors (grasslands, livestock, agroforestry and conservation agriculture) as well as co-benefits that may be generated for food security, productivity, ecosystem services and resilience.
On the occasion, FAO has recently released a Policy Brief to mainstream agriculture in climate change talks that can be viewed here.
In addition, a joint contribution to working groups related to climate change and development and social issues was made by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). To read the submission please click here.
The FAO also made another submission to support the upcoming talks focusing on grasslands and its potential for reducing emissions. To read the document, please click here.
For more information on the side event please read the flyer .
Participate in the next “Inspire and Educate” Climate Change Competition for children and youth
A new competition for children and youth called “Inspire and Educate” has recently been launched by FAO, WAGGGS, Practical Action (www.practicalaction.org) and YPARD (www.ypard.org) through the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA).
The competition is part of the “Our World, Our Climate, Our Food: Local action for a global challenge” initiative which aims to disseminate information and raise awareness on issues as climate change, environment and food security, with the purpose of encouraging children and young people to take part in activities to reduce our impact on the environment and to take action against hunger in the world.
The “Inspire and Educate” competition is intended to allow children and young people to show what activities they are undertaking to combat climate change, encourage others to take action and share knowledge on local adaptation practices.
The deadline for sending contributions is September 2009.
For more information on how to participate in the competition visit the website.
From the Field
FAO supports Chilean efforts in the fight against climate change
The new National Action plan Against Climate Change was presented during a national seminar on climate change and livestock organized by the Agriculture ministry of Chile and the FAO regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean last April 2009.
During the seminar, Chilean officials and technical experts discussed relevant studies on the country’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change, focusing especially on the linkages between livestock and green house gas emissions. FAO experts shared their knowledge on recent methodologies to measure emissions from the livestock sector, which could be easily adapted to Chile’s situation.
The main result of the seminar was the agreement to implement a pilot project to develop already existing green house gas mitigation practices in several areas of the country.
To read the complete article in Spanish, visit the website of the FAO regional office in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Linking climate change and food security in Nicaragua
The government of Nicaragua along with FAO’s support initiated dialogues on linkages between climate change and food security setting for the development of the 2009 work plan of the FAO Multi-donor Partnership Programme (FMPP) 2009.
To initiate the process, a mission to Nicaragua was carried out in May 2009 within the framework of the new FAO Multi-donor Partnership Programme (FMPP), funded by Norway and the Netherlands. Operational since January 2009, the program focuses on accompanying government’s policy processes from formulation and review of policies and laws to implementation of programs.
A series of meetings with the main ministries, institutions from the agricultural sector and cooperation agencies dealing with food security policies and programs led to the drafting of the 2009 FMPP work plan and set the ground for FMPP work for following six months.
Government expressed their concern on the need to address climate change adaptation. Although Nicaragua has formulated a National Climate Change Action Plan based on a series of studies on vulnerability, mitigation options and climate change impact in pilot areas and for selected commodities, the government reported on the need to scale-up these studies to other areas as well.
In the context of an inter-departmental collaboration between the FAO departments of Natural Resources and Economic and Social Development, the FMPP work in Nicaragua will focus on the development of an analytical framework on climate change and food security interactions to highlight how climate change will affect the four components of food security – food availability, food accessibility, food utilization and food system stability.
The Framework will translate into recommendations of adaptive adjustments to food systems activities in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors that strengthen intervention capacity and the resilience of vulnerable populations.
For more information on the FMPP in Nicaragua please contact FMPP-helpdesk@fao.org
Democratic Republic of Congo: Generating knowledge to face climate change
The “Communication for Sustainable Development Initiative" (CSDI) is testing, communication for development (ComDev) methodologies and approaches to be used for climate change issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The CSDI is supporting the Project on Rehabilitation of the National Agricultural and Forestry Research System. A communication plan is being designed for the dissemination of technology innovation identified by national agriculture and forestry research and extension systems. The project works through rural radios and extension agencies using communication tools such as farmer field schools and multimedia materials.
Small farmers need to have more information about climate change and how to adapt to it while including increased participatory approaches. This will enhance knowledge sharing and allow people and local organizations to identify the best solutions and lessons learned.
The project aims at reducing the gap of knowledge and information between research and farmers using ComDev methodologies and tools. A communication action plan has already been developed in the Bas Congo region through the use of participatory processes: a seminar with researchers, extension workers, local institutions, communication specialists and peasants; a survey to assess needs and priorities to design the communication action plan.
To date, the project is carrying out the following activities:
- Reinforcement of radio operators on technical information
- Training for extension operators on the dissemination of technologies identified (production of cassava and agro-forestry)
- Dissemination in the field of the technologies identified through farmers field schools supported by the materials translated into local languages.
Latest news
Climate change and regions
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed on 12 March between FAO and the Forum of Global Associations of Regions (FOGAR) during the FOGAR General Assembly in Firenze to strengthen collaborations with regional governments at sub-national level such as provinces, departments and regions
In addition, FAO decided to join a specific partnership on “regions and climate change” between UN agencies and associations of regions. This partnership called “Towards carbon neutral and climate change resilient territories” was launched in October 2008 during the World Summit of regions on climate change by UNDP with the participation of UNEP, UNITAR, UN-Habitat and several associations of regions: FOGAR, the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CRPM), nrg4SD-Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development... UNDP also created in Brest in Brittany, France, a technical centre called ClimSat to provide data and tools to regions to assist them for their activities linked to climate change.
In this framework, FAO and UNDP are planning a technical meeting on regions, climate change and agriculture/food security in Brest, France, on 21-22 October. This meeting will gather representatives of regions, international organisations, institutions and organisations of farmers and fisher folks to review current experiences of climate change adaptation or mitigation involving regions. It will also identify concrete possible areas of collaboration and joint programmes/investments which could be announced at the World Summit of regions on Food Security which will be organised by CPRM and FOGAR and hosted by the government of Senegal in Dakar in January 2010.
For more details on “climate change and regions” visit the new section on the FAO Climate Change portal.
Workshop on National Forest Inventories in Non-Annex I Countries
Foto ICFREUnder the title “National Forest Inventory: The Experiences of Non-Annex I Countries,” the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) organized a workshop from 27 to 29 April 2009 with the support of the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD) and FAO’s National Forest Monitoring Assessment Programme.
Over 60 delegates from 32 countries plus international organizations such as the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility gathered in Dehradun, India to better understand the technical aspects and options related to the measurement of forest carbon stocks and to share experiences in establishing national forest inventories.
This technical workshop was the third in a series of workshops organized by the CfRN on capacity building and methodological issues to facilitate wider understanding and implementation of the UNFCCC agenda on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing countries (REDD).
To read the summary report, please click here.
Communication for Development and Climate Change
Based on the first World Congress on Communication for Development (October 2006), FAO and the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Territory have launched a joint project named “Communication for Sustainable Development Initiative" (CSDI), to support innovative Communication for Development (ComDev) applications to sustainable Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Climate Change in Agriculture (CCA), fisheries and forestry.
The CSDI deals with the challenges of climate change and food security that require a combination of immediate, medium and long-term measures mainly based on improving knowledge institutions and information sharing and people’s participation in order to promote concerted action towards mitigation and adaptation. The main focus is to support community based adaptation processes through ComDev strategies and tools.
Three main components have been identified for project implementation:
a) Normative activities: systematization of approaches, best practices, training materials and policies on the application of ComDev to NRM and CCA, and making it available at the international level to promote training and policy advice.
b) Networking and partnerships: support of the implementation of regional and thematic platforms in collaboration with institutions, communication and environmental networks, some of which are already collaborating with FAO. The platforms facilitate knowledge sharing and experiences, linkages between normative and field activities, and cooperation among different stakeholders.
c) Field components in selected countries:
- Bangladesh - support to livelihood adaptation initiatives
- Bolivia - national communication plan for agricultural innovation and sustainable NRM
- The Caribbean - regional capacity in communication for disaster risk reduction and CCA
- Democratic Republic of Congo - support to technologies innovation and CCA.
The next steps of the project include the support to governments, institutions and field programmes through ComDev approaches and methods for CCA; strengthening capacities through knowledge networks; and the expansion of the the CSDI multi-stakeholder partnerships.
For more information, download the initiative’s leaflet here .
Education to face climate change
FAO in partnership with Carboschools and the UNFCCC organized a workshop on "Strengthening the Education response to climate change internationally” at the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development held in Bonn, Germany from 31 March - 2 April 2009.
The over 80 participants that attended the workshop discussed a number of issues especially focused on awareness raising and inducing action in the following areas:
- training and capacity building
- policy
- resources and education material
- networking and partnerships
- results and analysis (success stories)
- funding, objectives and time lines
The results will also feed into the UNESCO International Seminar on Climate Change Education to be held from 27-29 July 2009 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
For more information read the document or visit the Conference site here.
Publications, tools and websites
Fisheries and Aquaculture in Changing Times
Climate change impacts such as more frequent and severe floods and droughts will affect the food and water security of many people. The impact and consequences of climate change on aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture -- and on the people that depend on them -- remain uncertain and less well-known.
FAO, in partnership with several agencies, highlights the issues of climate change in relation to aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture in a new Policy Brief "Fisheries and Aquaculture in Changing Times". Aimed at decision-makers and climate change negotiators, the brief describes the role of healthy aquatic ecosystems for food and livelihood security, the crucial role of oceans in climate change and suggests possible mitigation and adaptation tactics as part of a wider aquatic agenda.
To download the Policy Brief click here.
New FAO fact sheet: The challenges of scarcity and climate change
A fact sheet with information on FAO’s role and support to member countries to face the challenges of climate change has been recently issued in English, French and Spanish.
The fact sheets include information on the impact climate change will have on natural resources such as land and water and illustrates FAO’s activities to face these effects.
Download the fact sheet here.
More information on gender and climate change in India now available in the FAO climate change portal
The FAO climate change portal has recently launched an in depth website on its project on mainstreaming gender and climate change issue in India.
This new section includes information on the methodology of the project and also includes the latest outcomes of a recent mission held to southern India.
Financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and in close collaboration with local institutions, the project is currently documenting how men and women farmers in 8 villages perceive climate shifts as well as the adaptation strategies they adopt to ensure food security in farm households.
Visit the website here.
New section of the climate change web portal on regions
In order to inform users on its activities related to regional governments, FAO added to its climate change portal a new section dedicated to “climate change and regions”. These pages present planned activities or projects involving regions, linked notably to the “decentralized cooperation” programme of FAO, partners involved and related events, including:
- a joint FAO-UNDP technical meeting on Climate Change and Regions in Brest, 21-22 October 2009;
- a World Summit of Regions on Food Security organised by associations of regions and hosted by the government of Senegal in Dakar on 18-19 January 2010.
Visit the new section here.
FAO Bioenergy and Food Security project updates its website
Bioenergy and Food Security project, funded by the Government of Germany, has recently revamped its website aligning with FAO’s new web corporate style.
The Bioenergy and Food Security project - BEFS constitutes one pillar of FAO’s work towards safeguarding food security concerns in the emerging bioenergy sector. BEFS is also closely linked FAO's Bioenergy Impact Analysis (BIAS) initiative which integrates environmental considerations in the bioenergy sector.
Visit the BEFS updated website.
The FAO's Climate Change webportal contains an even wider array of publications related to climate change and food security, impacts, green-house gas emissions, mitigation, adaptation and policy framework that can be consulted under the Publications section of the webportal.
The FAO also has published valuable tools ranging from dataset, to e-learning and training manuals that can be easily accessed and downloaded under the Data and Tools section of the webportal.
Featured Map
Potential to sequester additional carbon in soils on cropland
This map provides information on where cropping systems could be changed to achieve substantial soil carbon sequestration. It highlights the locations with medium-to-high soil carbon sequestration potential and croplands, as identified by the GLC2000 global land cover database. The data sources are from FAO and GLC2000 database. This information is useful in providing and indication at the regional and global level of potential for farmers to provide environmental services.
To download the complete information on this map click here.
More FAO maps and datasets related to climate can be found in the FAO-Geonetwork website.
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