Food loss and waste towards COP21 at the non-state actors’ World Summit Climate and Territories
1-2 July, Lyon, France - Six months before COP21, the World Summit Climate and Territories for non-state actors highlighted the importance of a territorial perspective on climate and indicated the relevance of preventing and reducing food loss and waste world-wide.
Non-state actors such as subnational and local governments, NGOs, business, workers and trade unions, farmers, youth, and scientists participated in the Summit that had two objectives: (i) Present concrete commitments on the greenhouse gas emission reduction that will contribute to developing a path to limiting global warming to 2°C; and (ii) Submit specific proposals for commitments for the climate agreement in Paris.
Food waste prevention, reduction, and management were reflected in the Agriculture work area that was led by the United Regions Organization - FOGAR (ORU-FOGAR) and ROPPA.
It was highlighted that agriculture and climate have complex interactions and it is necessary to implement demand-based measures (such as changes in diet) and reduce waste in the food supply chain. Facilitating access to understandable and timely climatic information and alert systems can enable individuals, communities, and organizations to prepare for and take suitable action (emergency plans) to reduce losses.
It is also vital to build networks of actors that implement measures involving various fields such as rural development, resilient low-carbon farming and forestry practices, sustainable aquaculture, land-use planning (balance between farms/forest and urban areas), investment in renewable energy, water and waste management (use of recycled packaging, composting, recycling, etc.), marketing channels for local products, and town-country channels.
The levers identified for mitigation upstream and downstream refer to reducing food waste through raising consumer awareness, encouraging businesses to provide appropriate supply, improve infrastructure and storage systems for agricultural products and food.
In light of the wide range of agricultural and food systems across territories, local and regional authorities, farmers’ organizations, and non-state actors committed to formulate or adapt existing action plans for the transition to sustainable territorial food systems that are based on agro-ecology and co-management of natural resources, soils, and land, taking into account the specific resources and situation of their territory. The plans should seek to reduce GHG emissions in the food and agriculture sector by analyzing CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions in these sectors and ways to significantly reduce them through land allocation, farming methods, processing/marketing/distribution/catering arrangements, and the food practices and diets of consumers. The plans should aim to reduce waste and promote ecological and sustainable farming and food systems that make limited use of non-renewable resources.
Background
Organised by the major global networks of subnational and local governments and hosted by Rhône-Alpes Region in Lyon, the Summit was under the High Patronage of the President of the French Republic. The event is labelled COP21 and it is organised in collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The commitments and proposals presented were submitted to the French Presidency of COP21 and to all the parties to the UNFCCC.