FEATURE ???
The way food is produced, transported and cooked is estimated to be responsible for around a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – yet it has never been properly discussed at the annual UN COP climate talks since they started in 1995. This all changed with COP28, held last November in Dubai.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is a meeting of representatives of all 197 countries signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They gather every year to look at how effective current agreed measures to limit climate change have been, and to work on further ways to reduce the human impact on the world's climate. COP28 UAE took place at Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
Farming and food systems were finally taken seriously from the outset, as the conference opened with a declaration on sustainable agriculture. The “COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action” was signed by 134 countries, with another 25 joining by the end of the conference.
Announcing the declaration HE Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri,
UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and COP28 Food Systems Lead, said, “There is no path to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and keeping 1.5C within reach, that does not urgently address the interactions between food systems, agriculture, and climate.
“Countries must put food systems and agriculture at the heart of their climate ambitions, addressing both global emissions and protecting the lives and livelihoods of farmers living on the front line of climate change. Today’s commitment from countries around the world will help to build a global food system fit for the future.”
Farmworker Steve Leniec chairs Unite's rural and agricultural workers committee, and welcomed the declaration. “This is a welcome recognition of the mutual connection between climate and food production. Accepting that farming contributes to climate change, and we must change to mitigate that, will drive changes in our industry.”
The declaration recognises “that unprecedented adverse climate impacts are increasingly threatening the resilience of agriculture and food systems”, but that there is “profound potential of agriculture and food systems to drive powerful and innovative responses to climate change and to unlock shared prosperity for all.”
It also highlighted the right to ensure people have access to safe, sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food for all, noting “that agriculture and food systems are fundamental to the lives and livelihoods of billions of people.”
The declaration sets out five key objectives, including, scaling-up adaptation and resilience activities and responses to reduce the vulnerability of all farmers, fisherfolk, and other food producers to the impacts of climate change, • The promotion of “food security and nutrition by increasing efforts to support vulnerable people…”
• strengthening the integrated management of water in agriculture and food systems at all levels…
• and maximising “the climate and environmental benefits while containing and reducing harmful impacts, associated with agriculture and food systems.”
But it’s the third point that’s of most interest to Unite members. This states that signatories, including the UK government, will work towards, “Supporting workers in agriculture and food systems, including women and youth, whose livelihoods are threatened by climate change, to maintain inclusive, decent work, through context appropriate approaches which could include increasing, adapting and diversifying incomes.”
Unite national officer and IUF agriculture president Bev Clarkson said, “The UK government should recognise the impact that climate change is having on the agriculture sector. Only this year, with the impact of flooding, many farmers are losing over half of their crops.
“If there’s no intervention from the government with financial support there will soon be more food imported which can be produced in the UK, in turn this will be another nail in the coffin for the UK agriculture sector.”
13 uniteLANDWORKER Spring 2024
n By Keith Hatch
Steve echoed Bev’s comments, pointing out that Unite members see the impact of climate change first hand. “Farmworkers have a close affinity with climate and the weather patterns which result from changes.
“We have always faced occasional extremes in our weather but in recent years these have become more frequent, extreme and unpredictable with record hot dry summers being followed by record wet events the following year and a blurring of seasons. These challenge the ability to both grow and harvest traditional crops sustainably.”
Steve feels that “changes to food production will inevitably be driven by government directives and support payments, and it is important that these recognise and reward the role of workers in delivering sustainability.”
Adapting to climate change and ensuring food production is more sustainable will result in a change in the role of farmers and farmworkers with initiatives such as regenerative agriculture and less insensitive animal farming.
The government must recognise that any structural changes to the way that agriculture is supported in this country will impact the workforce and plan for a just transition for farmworkers.
Steve explained. “It is vital for our industry that the government recognises that we need to maintain production and that simply importing food is not a global solution. Payments to encourage change must include the workforce who will deliver the changes.
“Simply paying farmers to take land out of production and rewild will provide a short-term fix but is not a route to sustainability for workers or the industry. Any proposals must both protect and seek to retrain workers to deliver change.
“Technology can be part of our answer to climate change and workers will need new skills to deliver the outcomes COP28 promises.”
COP28 places a responsibility on all countries to work towards a more sustainable and resilient food system, and only time will tell if the aims set in the declaration are delivered.
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