IICA has been working with its partners to support both adaptation and mitigation in the region’s agricultural sector, developing capacities, promoting learning and exchange between countries, and strengthening institutions to respond to the changing climate.
By Kelly Witkowski, Agriculture and Climate Change Officer, IICA, kelly.witkowski@iica.int
The year 2016 has the dubious honor of setting a few important climate records. It was – for the third year in a row – the hottest year on record since measurements were first recorded almost 140 years ago. The global average temperature was 1.69 degrees Fahrenheit above the twentieth century average, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)(1). In addition, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations rose above 400 parts per million for the first time – significantly above the 280 ppm existing before the Industrial Revolution – and a change that is most likely permanent.(2)
However, it is also the year that the Paris Agreement entered into force, on November 4, with extraordinary speed, signaling governments’ recognition of the urgency of climate action and high level commitment for both mitigation and adaptation. One hundred and thirty-three countries have now ratified the Agreement.
Most countries developed (intended) Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to clearly identify the contributions they will make post-2020. The international climate negotiations in Marrakech focused on hammering out the Paris “rulebook” to guide the implementation of the 2015 Agreement, marking a shift in focus from climate planning to action.
However, we know that while the planned commitments will certainly have a positive impact, they are simply not enough to meet the goal of keeping warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Even if the pledges are met, by 2100 the world still faces warming of 2.3 to 3.5℃ (3). This is likely to cause severe global economic, ecological and social disruption.
Luckily, much of the action in Marrakech occurred outside of the official negotiating arena with both state and non-state actors strengthening their resolve to take climate action. The Climate Vulnerable Forum members (over 40 countries) pledged to meet 100% renewable energy production as rapidly as possible. The “We Mean Business” Coalition, comprised of 500 companies with more than US$8.1 trillion of revenue and almost 200 investors with over US$20 trillion in managed assets, is accelerating the private sector transition towards a low carbon pathway. The coalition is also pushing for governments to put a price on carbon as well as legislation to support the implementation of their NDCs. The Netherlands and its partners will establish a Global Centre of Excellence on Climate Adaptation that will collect lessons and develop guidance to accelerate climate adaptation. These kinds of contributions are vital for increasing collective ambition to meet the goal laid out in the Paris Agreement, especially at a time when US climate leadership is slowing.
At a talk at Georgetown University in early March, the Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, was asked about the general reaction to the uncertainty of US actions. She responded that other countries have not stepped back from their pledges, but have rather reaffirmed their commitment to supporting both adaptation and pathways to a lower carbon future.
So what is the role of the agricultural sector?
Contributions from the agricultural sector are necessary for meeting the 2℃ (4) target. Approximately a quarter of global emissions are linked to agriculture and land use change. According to 2011 data from the FAO, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter behind China and the US.(5) Most countries have also identified the agricultural sector as among the most vulnerable. Clearly, action in the agricultural sector is critical for enabling countries to reach not only their climate, but also their development goals.
Not surprisingly, the agricultural sector is featured in all but two of the 30 (intended)NDCs submitted from Latin America and the Caribbean. Adaptation of the sector is generally prioritized, though many contributions to mitigation were also included. Uruguay, for instance, has committed to a significant reduction in emission intensity from livestock. (See documents for analyses of agriculture in the Caribbean and Latin American NDCs.)
The Paris Agreement and associated NDCs lay out the goals each country has. The next key step is to develop detailed road maps to operationalize these commitments. This requires inter-sectoral coordination to ensure adequate planning, investment, capacity, and monitoring for effective action. The level of participation of the agriculture sector in NDC development varied greatly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Efforts are needed to align NDC goals with the priorities and ongoing actions the sector has defined for itself in each country. The global agreement will not be successful without action taken in the agricultural sector at the national level and on the ground.
IICA has been working with its partners to support both adaptation and mitigation in the region’s agricultural sector, developing capacities, promoting learning and exchange between countries, and strengthening institutions to respond to the changing climate. The Institute responds to the demands and priorities of each of its member states.
For instance, working with the National Agricultural Research Institute and the Agricultural Development Institute in Chile, IICA is increasing capacities of extension workers to incorporate climate change into their work. Through the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO), IICA and the Inter-American Development Bank support innovation for climate adaptation in family farming systems, with projects to make rice and livestock production more resilient, increase incomes (particularly of rural women), and improve natural resource management.
IICA is also facilitating the Caribbean Climate Smart Agriculture Forum, which allows for exchange between the 13 English-speaking countries in the Caribbean and dialogue amongst national actors through webinars, trainings, publications and other activities. Over 100 people in the region have increased their understanding of how to integrate climate change considerations into sectoral planning. For instance, in the Bahamas, IICA is supporting the Ministry of Agriculture to develop an adaptation plan for the sector, a commitment the country made in its NDC. Recently, a competition in the Eastern Caribbean states showcased successful examples of how farmers are actively working to enhance their resilience while increasing productivity, and, where possible, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
To strengthen risk management, IICA has supported Colombia and Paraguay to develop and apply a tool for agroclimatic risk mapping. IICA specialists have helped update emergency plans in Honduras and Costa Rica and increased capacity to prepare for and respond to health emergencies, along with protocols for attending to animals during emergencies. IICA also trained technicians in the use of organic matter to recover degraded soils, and supported them to apply the knowledge.
The road ahead towards a sustainable agriculture sector adapted to the changing climate and underpinning food security is challenging. The sector has been mobilizing and making positive advances that can serve to inform future efforts to scale up action and enhance the contribution the sector makes to both climate and development goals. National and regional exchange of lessons learned and South-South cooperation will be critical for increasing the pace of implementation.
For more information on IICA’s work with climate change, contact kelly.witkowski@iica.int
1 NASA. NASA, NOAA Data Show 2016 Warmest Year on Record Globally. 16 January 2017.
2 Climate Central. The World Passes 400 PPM Threshold. Permanently. 27 September 2016.
3 Rogelj, Joeri et al. Paris Agreement climate proposals need a boost to keep warming well below 2oC. Nature. 30 June 2016.
4 Wollenberg, Eva, et al. Reducing emissions from agriculture to meet the 2℃ target.
5 FAO. Food wastage footprint & climate change. 11 January 2015.
*The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and they do not reflect the position of the Institute on the topics presented.
*This post appears in the IICA Delegation in the USA Newsletter – January – February 2017
