Climate change, environment and sustainable development
Climate change, environment and sustainable development issues are increasingly becoming a priority for international cooperation and action. FAO has a well-established and wide range of analytical work and activities in these areas relating to the potential of agricultural resources by agro-climatic zones, including soil and water resources, and the investment requirement to shift to more sustainable practices. There are numerous channels through which climate change affects agriculture and food security and almost equally as many areas where the work of other Geneva-based organizations touches on these links.
Of particular importance for the work of FAO are questions that arise not only from the burden to adapt to the agro-ecological conditions of climate change but also from the need to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture. Cooperation on these areas involves the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), UNCTAD and other Geneva-based organizations. Yet another important flagship is The UN-REDD programme which is the United Nations Collaborative Initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries.
The programme was launched in September 2008 to assist developing countries prepare and implement national REDD+ strategies, and builds on the convening power and expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).