Background: climate change is emerging as a momentous global challenge of the 21st century. As reflected in the recently issued 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change is already having rofound and irreversible impacts on economic, social and environmental systems. This is increasingly apparent from the frequency and intensity in the occurrence of natural imbalances and climate related disasters that threaten human health and infrastructure, community stability, agricultural production and food security, water, land and other natural resources sustainability.

Agriculture, livestock and land use change including deforestation contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions. But agriculture, livestock and forestry can also contribute to climate change mitigation, through: greenhouse gas conservation (e.g. crop/livestock integrated systems, low-input and high-diversity grassland production, livestock management, conservation agriculture, and reduced deforestation), carbon sequestration (in soils, crops and trees), and carbon substitution (substitution of fossil fuels through biofuels), as well as crop improvement.

Key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and forestry are very sensitive to climate change. Temperature and precipitation changes impact distribution and productivity of agricultural crops and trees. Transboundary insect and other pests, diseases, invasive plant species and fires affect agriculture, forestry and peoples' livelihoods. The increased incidence of forest fires and outbreaks of forest pests and diseases, which severely impact on forestdependent people, are being linked to climate change. Sea level rise is causing increased soil erosion, loss of productive land, higher risks of storm surges, reduced resilience of coastal ecosystems and the attendant costs of responding and adapting to these shocks. Changes in ocean circulation patterns, sea level rise and ocean salinity affect the biological properties and distribution of marine species, impacting those who rely on fisheries for food and livelihoods. Small island developing states are particularly at risk. People who are already vulnerable, for example due to gender-based inequalities, poor health caused by HIV/AIDS, or lack of livelihood options, may suffer even more due to climate change impacts.

In response to increasing concerns about climate change, the FAO Council, the Committees on Agriculture (COAG) and Forestry (COFO) have requested the Organization to assist countries in coping with climate change impacts, and to collaborate with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat and the IPCC. As early as 1988, an FAO Interdepartmental Working Group on Climate Change has been at work to enhance and coordinate cross-sectoral activities. Since 2004, FAO has also been engaged in the social dimensions of climate change, in particular examining the different impacts on men and women, and how to incorporate gender issues into climate change policy and adaptation. In 2006-2007, a new division on Environment, Climate Change and Bioenergy has been established. 

To address climate change related risks, FAO will integrate climate change issues and response strategies into its global and field work and promote this topic in the overall development agenda as relates to its mandate. Work will be spearheaded under programme entity 2KP07 and supported by the Interdepartmental Working Group on Climate Change.

Objectives and plans for 2008-09: in general terms, FAO is to assist countries by providing data and information, policy and technical advice, management tools (codes of best practice and voluntary guidelines), technology transfer and capacity building on the challenges resulting from climate change to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, on ways to lessen and cope with its impacts on people's livelihoods, and on approaches and opportunities discussed in international fora. More specifically, FAO will:

• assist countries in developing new or strengthening integrated vulnerability baselines and responses;
• support multistakeholder action platforms for adaptive livelihoods;
• foster “good enough” practice guidelines in testing climate change adaptation targets;
• support capacity building for the development and use of crop varieties more resistant to environmental stress; and
• assist national authorities in including climate risk management strategies in development plans.

Given the strong linkages between food security, energy, climate, ecosystem, rural development and trade objectives, close coordination will be pursued with internal communities of practice dealing with disaster risk management, biological diversity and bioenergy. FAO will build on the development and testing of a livelihood-based approach to promote climate change adaptation processes relevant to rural communities in least developed countries, as well as on guidelines for addressing gender in negotiations and adaptation.

Externally, FAO will continue to cooperate closely with the IPCC and the UNFCCC by providing data, information and technical advice in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, land and water. It will collaborate on climate change adaptation within the context of the Nairobi Work Programme, and on issues related to bioenergy, afforestation, reforestation, grassland management, rehabilitation of marginal and degraded land, reduction of emissions from deforestation, desertification and harvested wood products. FAO will also provide a neutral forum for discussion of models, concepts and definitions, and host international programmes such as the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) and the Global Land Cover Network (GLCN).

As a result, FAO's climate change work is expected to progressively achieve:

• full reflection of climate change adaptation and mitigation in FAO corporate policies, programmes and activities;
• expanded assistance to countries in developing national strategies, policies and action plans on mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change and variability;
• effective technical guidance on reduction of greenhouse gases emissions in the agriculture and livestock sector;
• enhanced international partnerships related to methods and tools, data and information and policy and planning;
• increased technical support to inter-governmental mechanisms related to UNFCCC, IPCC and post-Kyoto Protocol dialogues and negotiations;
• integrated approaches to national climate change responses as regards policy, land and water management, agriculture cropping systems, forest and fisheries issues;
• capacity building and training for key stakeholders on policies and practices related to mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change; and
• adequate assistance to countries in national assessments of forest carbon stocks.

[extract from PWB 2008-09]