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Book (stand-alone)Potential conflicts between agricultural trade rules and climate change treaty commitments.
The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2018: Background paper
2018Also available in:
No results found.Climate change – among its many other challenges – also affects the conditions of competition along the whole food value chain. This article posits that many mitigation and adaptation policies imply a differentiation between otherwise identical products but with different carbon footprints. Where imports are affected, there is a potential for trade frictions. The main issue appears to be a climate-smart treatment of like products with different (non-product-related) production and processing methods (ppm). Now that national governments start implementing their commitments under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, they have to closely look at the trade and investment impact of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The NDCs presently available remain silent on concrete measures involving product differentiation according to footprint differences, be it by way of border adjustment measures, subsidies, prohibitions, or restrictions. The non-discrimination principle enshrined in the multilateral trading system can be a problem for such differentiations. No climate-smart agricultural measures have yet been notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO). But several renewable energy programmes have been found to violate WTO rules. Potential problems could arise, for instance, from differentiating tariffs, import restrictions or taxes according to carbon footprint. Conditions of competition might even be affected by labels signalling products with a bigger (or a “climate-friendly”) footprint, or through subsidies and incentives compensating domestic producers subject to emissions reductions, prohibitions, and input restrictions. A second major problem lies in the way the Paris Agreement and the WTO address the Development Dimension. In the Paris Agreement, the Development Dimension is addressed by the notion of Common but Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR), leaving Parties free in terms of how they take development into account in their NDCs. On the other side, the Special and Differentiated Treatment (SDT) foreseen in all WTO agreements for developing country products and services appears incapable of dealing with the global impact of all emissions, regardless of their origin, or with the negative impact on developing country exports to climate-smart markets in developed countries. In conclusion, we suggest that a review of the climate-relevant trade and investment rules is necessary at the international level, involving climate, and agriculture and trade regulators, supported by scientific, economic and legal expertise. The purpose of this review is to avoid litigation jeopardising the implementation of the Paris Agreement. At the same time, such a review must be comprehensive, because the objective is to ensure maximum policy space for climate mitigation and adaptation without negatively affecting other countries, or unduly restricting trade and investment, especially in poor developing countries. Last but not least, this intergovernmental and inter-institutional review is urgent, because the results should provide as quickly as possible the legal security necessary for investors and operators, regulators, NDC developments and reviews, and international standard-setting processes. -
Book (stand-alone)Report of the 2020 WASAG Webinar Series 2024
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No results found.In 2020, amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 epidemiological situation, the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) has continued to work on addressing pressing issues related to water scarcity in agriculture in a changing climate. WASAG organized a series of webinars to pursue its mandate under new digital means, as webinars were recognized as an opportunity to quickly adapt to the new current challenges. Using the combine expertise and resources of its many Partners, WASAG presented a variety of topics related to water scarcity and agriculture to WASAG Partners, stakeholders and the interested public. These topics included water and gender, financing mechanisms, water and nutrition, drought preparedness, sustainable agriculture water use and saline agriculture which also include promoting quinoa as a drought and salt-tolerance crop. With ten webinars organized between May and December 2020, this report highlights the key messages given by a wide variety of speakers that participated in making this new initiative a real success. It is expected that this report will lead to more in-depth capacity development in the several topics discussed, to collaboration in developing and implementing projects addressing these topics and to offering a variety of innovative solutions to the communities, countries and regions that have to cope with water scarcity in agriculture. -
Book (stand-alone)Proceedings of the Global Forum on Salinization and Climate Change
Abstracts and extended abstracts submitted to the Global Forum on Salinization and Climate Change (GFSCC2010), Valencia, 25-29 October, 2010
2011Also available in:
No results found.The relevance of the possible impact of climate change in many productive areas prompted the organization of a meeting considering the possible effects of climate change on cultivated lands, coastal areas and other areas under risk of salinization. This constituted a new approach to the prevention of the risk of salinization, and an attempt to develop strategies for early action at regional and global scale. The GFSCC2010 was the first forum of global participation on this subject. Soil saliniz ation is one of the more subtle and progressive causes of soil degradation, threatening some of the most productive lands currently under irrigated agriculture. It is also an increasing environmental concern for those areas for which suggested climate change scenarios predict aridity increase and/or sea level rise. Salinity is also a natural inherent condition of many ecosystems contributing to global biodiversity supporting halophytes. Salinization is a problem that has long being associated w ith agriculture, both as a constraint and as the result of inappropriate practices. In addition, agriculture intensification, as well as changes in temperature and precipitation patterns expected from climate change, are likely to further affect the salt-water balance of fragile ecosystems. Information on the relationship between climate change, salt-affected habitats and salinization processes is scarce. There is a need to establish a better picture of the most affected or vulnerable areas and to promote practices that can be used to adapt agricultural production in areas susceptible to climate change. This will contribute to food security and reduce stress on ecosystems. The forum constituted an opportunity to discuss, from a multi-disciplinary perspective, the problems associated with salinization and climate change and strengthened the dialogue between policy makers, scientists and field experts.
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