Smart Net-Zero

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) | Source | Report |

This FAO policy brief argues that global climate goals cannot be achieved without a just transition in agrifood systems. It highlights that mitigation and adaptation measures risk exacerbating inequality if social equity, livelihoods, and rights are not explicitly addressed. The brief calls for a people-centred transition that prioritizes Indigenous Peoples, family farmers, small-scale producers, agricultural workers, women, and youth, and is grounded in a “do no harm” principle to prevent climate action from undermining land and resource rights or leading to “green grabbing.” It urges Parties, including in the context of COP30, to embed agrifood systems within just transition frameworks under the UNFCCC and to mobilize climate finance for inclusive, resilience-building transformation. By linking net-zero objectives with social justice and rural development, the brief provides concrete guidance for aligning climate ambition with equitable agrifood transitions.