Need for Climate Action on Agricultural and Food Security recognised at COP27
FOUR PAWS welcomes this as a starting point but insists more needs to be done at a UN level to tackle the climate emergency
Sharm El Sheikh, 21 November 2022 – Following two weeks of back-and-forth negotiations at the United Climate Conference in Egypt, Parties concretely agreed for the need for more climate action on agriculture and food security.
FOUR PAWS, the global animal welfare organisation, welcomed the progress, but insisted more needed to be done at a UN level to tackle the climate emergency and that this was just a “necessary starting point”.
Sophie Aylmer, Head of Farm Animals and Nutrition Policy, said, “FOUR PAWS is encouraged that Parties have recognised that farmed animals are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts at COP27.
“Whilst agricultural negotiators have spent the past 10 years discussing the impact of climate on agriculture and what to do about it, COP27 is the time to start implementing these actions. As a first step, that lower impact farming practices like pastoralism with better grazing and manure management can be at the heart of sustainable production systems."
In line with the recommendations, FOUR PAWS is now urging governments to implement these outcomes and ensure they bring their livestock practices in line with environmental and animal protections.
Whereas better farming practices can play a role in adapting to the climate emergency, FOUR PAWS is disappointed that governments have continued to deny the need for the livestock sector to drastically mitigate its emissions.
Aylmer outlined what is needed going forwards, “FOUR PAWS advocates that the next step in the process, the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation, must, as stated, ‘Promote a holistic approach’ to agriculture and food security questions. This means there must be an applying of a joined-up food systems approach to the policy and practical changes needed to address how we farm and what we eat; the over production and over consumption of animal products.
“While this is a necessary starting point, vitally, more needs to come.”
BACKGROUND
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly referred to as COP27, is the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference and was held from 6 November until 18 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.”
FOUR PAWS Climate Report: “Why ending factory farming must be discussed”
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FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. Founded in 1988 in Vienna by Heli Dungler and friends, the organisation advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. The sustainable campaigns and projects of FOUR PAWS focus on companion animals including stray dogs and cats, farm animals and wild animals – such as bears, big cats and orangutans – kept in inappropriate conditions as well as in disaster and conflict zones. With offices in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Kosovo, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK, the USA and Vietnam as well as sanctuaries for rescued animals in eleven countries, FOUR PAWS provides rapid help and long-term solutions. www.four-paws.org.za