Today sees the start of the international climate change talks in Durban, South Africa. Between now and the 9th December, governments worldwide are supposed to agree on a second set of legally binding targets, in order to avoid a gap in GHG emissions reduction after 2012 (existing targets are in place fr
om 2008-2012). However outside of the EU there seems to be little political will or enthusiasm for a next phase which coupled with the gloomy global economic outlook mean that few hold out hope for a new international agreement.
A third “Agriculture and Rural Development Day” (ARDD) will be held on 3rd December. At previous talks the NFU, COPA-COGECA and the World Farmers Organisaion have worked to get agriculture recognised as parrt of the solution to the climate change problem. The summit in Durban represents a new opportunity to convey this idea more powerfully.
Both Sir John Beddington, the UK Government’s chief scientist and Caroline Spelman are speaking at the Agriculture Day. The Secretary of State is sitting on a high-level panel discussing “Taking Food and Food Security into a New Era". Sir John will present the recommendations of the Commission on Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture to policy makers on how to achieve food security in the face of climate change. The recommended actions which echo the Foresight Future of Food and Farming report, include the need to integrate food security and sustainable agriculture into global and national policies, significantly raise the level of investment into food systems, sustainably intensify agricultural production while reducing its environmental impacts, reduce food waste and promote sustainable eating patterns. The agriculture industry's Greenhouse Gas Action Plan is used as an example of “real-world investment, innovation and action”.
Read more NFU analysis in Related Documents above. We'll keep you updated of progress from the Durban summit on these pages.
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