Transparency for transforming the agrifood system - COP 29 event

Summary

On 11 November 2024, FAO organised an event on “Transparency for transforming the agrifood system” at COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. During this well-attended event, country representatives discussed the challenges they faced in meeting the Paris Agreement’s transparency requirements, but also the importance of transparency for transforming their agrifood systems.  Representatives from FAO and the IPCCC then presented some possible solutions and tools, as well as the Global capacity building towards enhanced transparency (CBIT-AFOLU+)  project.

Background

Agrifood systems produce up to 37 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, they are especially vulnerable to climate change related risks such as flooding, drought, crop failures, loss of ecosystems, etc. However, sustainably managed agrifood systems can be part of the solution by helping countries:

• adapt and build resilience toclimate change;
• mitigate and reduce emissions;
• address food security challenges; and
• improve rural livelihoods.

 “More efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly agricultural and farming practices could reduce climate impacts while ensuring food and nutrition security for all.”

-        -  Kaveh Zahedi, Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, FAO

Transforming agrifood systems as a priority for climate action

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are national climate action plans for achieving the Paris Agreement’s objectives. A 2024 FAO report states that, in their NDCs, almost all countries identify agrifood systems as a priority for climate change adaptation (94 percent) and mitigation (91 percent). FAO thus works closely with countries to make sure the agrifood sectors are adequately covered in the NDCs.

Countries preparing their third round of NDCs in 2025, have recognised the huge potential of agrifood systems to address climate change issues.  However, FAO reports that “current climate finance flows towards agrifood systems are seven times too small to meet even the lower-bound needs expressed in the NDCs.”

In their NDCs, countries also include information on finance that is still required to meet climate change goals. This constitutes an important opportunity to increase their climate ambitions.

The importance of transparency in climate change

In 2015, the Paris Agreement established the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) for countries to be more transparent about their progress on the NDCs; their greenhouse gas emissions; and the funding they have provided, received or require.

This information is submitted every two years to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a Biennial Transparency Report (BTR).

Transparency helps countries formulate a more ambitious, yet more achievable, NDC. Indeed, while the NDC lays out the plan and vision for a country’s climate goals, the BTRs show progress made in achieving this vision. They also identify gaps and opportunities. Countries can use this knowledge to refine their strategies for the third round of NDCs.

FAO Support

Through the Global capacity building towards enhanced transparency (CBIT-AFOLU+) project, FAO works with countries to: build technical capacity related to transparency; and strengthen national capacity in setting up a country-led transparency system.

Mirella Salvatore, an FAO senior climate change specialist,noted that the FAO CBIT-AFOLU+ project aims to help countries enhance their capacity to address the ETF reporting requirements, by strengthening their data collection and monitoring systems for agrifood systems. She added that the project will enable countries to formulate more ambitious NDCs by incorporating climate action into their agrifood systems.

CBIT-AFOLU+ is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

“The GEF is committed to helping countries transition to the ETF and submit their first round of BTRs.The global CBIT-AFOLU+ project will assist countries in further strengthening their reporting systems.”
-Esteban Bermúdez Forn, GEF Climate Change Specialist

For more information see : https://www.fao.org/in-action/climate-change-transparency/en

COP 29 event: Transparency for transforming the agrifood system

During the COP 29 event, representatives from Georgia, Mongolia, Nepal and Pakistan talked about the challenges they faced in the Agriculture and Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sectors when preparing their BTRs.

The main challenges were related to data which is often scattered in different institutions, often with conflicting figures and alack of historical data. Another challenge was the limited knowledge of how to use technology to collect widely dispersed information through remote sensing, big data and crowd sources.

There were also institutional challenges such as the lack of involvement and awareness of relevant ministries. Finally, despite the high impact of these sectors on employment, rural development and food security, authorities often give them minimal attention because of their limited impact on GDP.

Speakers included:

• Kakha Mdivani (Georgia) - Chief Technical Advisor, Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus
• Mohammed Safir Ahmed (Pakistan) -Coordinator, National Communications on Climate Change & BTR, Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination
• Narangaravuu Altangerel (Mongolia) - Senior analyst, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
• Shiva Khana (Nepal) –Change Management Division, Ministry of Forest and Environment

Solutions and tools

FAO representatives presented possible solutions to these challenges such as:

• improving access to funding;
• providing support in addressing ETF reporting requirements; and
• raising awareness and engagement among multiple actors at the national and international level of the importance of transparency in the agrifood sectors.

Furthermore, FAO is implementing climate transparency-related projects at both the national and global level through the CBIT-AFOLU+ project.

A wealth of tools based on countries’ needs were also presented. An entire session was devoted to the IPCC Inventory software . Its interoperability with the UNFCCC ETF reporting tool makes it an important element for national transparency systems.

Countries can also use the IPPC Inventory software to estimate greenhouse gas mitigation in project activities (e.g. under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement), policies and actions (e.g. in the NDC), in accordance with IPCC good practice and UNFCCC reporting decisions.These estimates can be included in the national GHG inventory, thereby ensuring coherence and minimizing double counting of reduced emissions and/or removals.

Conclusion

During the Q&A session, the representative from Ethiopia thanked FAO for its support in building capacity; and developing a GEF proposal for preparing its BTR.

Finally, Martial Bernoux, FAO Senior Natural Resources Officer, concluded that:

" Transparency can enhance planning and policy-making in areas such as emissions reduction, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience. I’m confident that continuing to prioritize transparency will play a crucial role in achieving the transformative changes needed for a sustainable agrifood system.”

More information

• COP 29 Event Agenda
• Countries interested in technical assistance from CBIT-AFOLU+ should write to: [email protected]