As the world grapples with the increasingly frequent and devasting climate events, such as the intense droughts and flooding experienced in parts of South Africa, and global disasters like the flash floods in Spain and Hurricane Oscar in Cuba, world leaders and government representatives will convene in Baku, Azerbaijan, to advance global climate action. It is indisputable that collective efforts to reach the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming must be accelerated. However, as so often the challenge lies in funding – who will cover the costs?

This year’s climate COP29 has been dubbed the “finance COP”, as negotiators will be determining how a promised $100 billion dollars will be allocated from developed to developing countries. These early negotiations are crucial to later determining which sectors this money will flow into to lower emissions and build climate resilience.

Agriculture is in the unique position of being both a driver and a victim of the climate crisis. However, only 4,3% of the funds are directed towards it. Animal agriculture alone is responsible for about 1/6^th of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. In South Africa, the agriculture sector is directly impacted by the changing climate. In the last decade, the country has faced extreme weather patterns, including prolonged droughts in key farming regions and devastating floods, both of which threaten food security and livelihoods. South Africa’s agricultural sector, especially animal agriculture, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock farming accounting for a large portion of the country’s emissions profile.

Animal agriculture in South Africa is not only a major source of emissions but also an industry heavily affected by the impacts of climate change. Livestock farming, particularly cattle, contributes to significant methane emissions, with enteric fermentation (the digestive process in ruminants like cows) being a primary source. Additionally, the sector’s demand for water and land exacerbates the pressures on South Africa’s already strained natural resources.

Dangerous distractions we can’t afford

Facing growing societal and political pressure to reform harmful practices, the livestock sector has responded with the myth of “sustainable intensification,” a tactic aimed at preserving the status quo. This approach promises to reduce emissions intensity – that is, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted per kilo of product – whilst sidestepping the urgent need to reduce the sector’s overall emissions. As a result, funds are directed towards shortsighted solutions with unknown long-term effects for both animal welfare and climate mitigation, such as feeding seaweed to cows to inhibit their methane production. Furthermore, Global North countries such as Germany and the U.S. subsidise farms that produce biogas from manure. By assigning economic value to manure, it incentivises factory farms to grow, resulting in more overall emissions.

A fundamental transformation of our current food systems would not only mitigate climate impacts – it would also reduce the suffering of billions of animals. Each year, over 83 billion animals are slaughtered for food, the majority kept in intensive farming conditions that confine them to overcrowded spaces. Dairy cows are often housed on slatted floors to facilitate manure collection, which restricts their natural movements and results in limb injuries. Moreover, the industry breeds animals solely for productivity, leading to significant suffering: broiler chickens are raised to slaughter weight in as little as four weeks, often experiencing painful joint deformations or bone fractures due to excessive muscle growth. Making this suffering “more sustainable” is not the solution.

Keeping promises

Climate finance is a key opportunity to reassess what type of farming we wish to promote. Global agricultural subsidies must protect the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and pastoralists to promote local economies and equitable access to food. To achieve meaningful change, factory farming must be phased out, and consumption patterns in high-producing and high-consuming countries need to shift. Reducing the overall number of farmed animals will decrease greenhouse gas emissions and enable a transition to more animal and ecosystem friendly farming models. Many traditional animal husbandry practices work with rather than against their ecosystems. For instance, silvopastoral systems integrate grazing ruminants with trees, providing shade and occupation for the animals and creating a micro-climate that promotes crop growth and increases the farm’s climate resilience.

Animal agriculture must no longer be viewed as an industry that can continue at the expense of the environment. The focus must shift from simply making it “sustainable” to transforming it into a sector that contributes positively to climate action, while ensuring the dignity and welfare of animals. The suffering of billions of animals must no longer be ignored in the name of “sustainability.”

At COP29, the South African government must push for greater inclusion of the Global South in financial agreements. This means securing funding for adaptation strategies and initiatives that empower farmers in developing countries to implement more sustainable practices. The Global South’s participation in this year’s finance COP is essential, as the countries most affected by climate change are often the least equipped to tackle it without international support.

Scientists have warned that without transforming our food systems, we risk falling short of Paris Agreement targets. We must redirect subsidies to holistic and local farming models to mitigate the climate and environmental impacts of the agrifood sector. At last year’s COP28, 160 countries signed the Leaders’ Declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action in which they agreed to reorient policies to decrease emissions in agriculture, whilst bolstering human, animal, and ecosystem health. As policymakers gather in Baku, the question remains: will they prioritise meaningful change over empty promises? With COP30 on the horizon in Brazil, the world is watching to see if the commitments made at COP28, including the Leaders’ Declaration on sustainable agriculture, will lead to real action. South Africa’s role in this discussion is crucial, and we must ensure that our voice is heard on the global stage for a sustainable, inclusive future.

/ENDS