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The "Recipe for a Livable Planet" presents the first comprehensive global strategic framework aimed at mitigating the agrifood system's significant contributions to climate change. By addressing the nexus between food production and greenhouse gas emissions, this report illustrates how the world's food production system can substantially reduce its carbon footprint while ensuring global food security.
Challenges
- Agrifood's Impact on Climate Change: The agrifood system currently accounts for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing even the heat and electricity sectors combined. Most emissions originate from developing countries, necessitating mitigation efforts across all income levels.
- Need for Net Zero Emissions: To limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, agrifood emissions must reach net zero by 2050, a critical milestone for averting climate catastrophe.
- Financing and Job Preservation: Despite the urgency, agrifood emissions mitigation receives inadequate financial support, risking job losses and food supply disruptions. However, the repercussions of inaction far outweigh these challenges, jeopardizing both livelihoods and planetary health.
Big Opportunities
- Harnessing Agrifood for Climate Action: Unlike other sectors, the agrifood system possesses the unique ability to sequester carbon through ecosystems and soils, presenting a cost-effective avenue for climate change mitigation.
- Return on Investment: While annual investments need to increase significantly to halve agrifood emissions by 2030, the benefits far outweigh the costs, with estimated returns of up to $4.3 trillion by 2030.
- Co-Benefits and Just Transition: Agrifood emissions reduction not only fosters food security and resilience but also promotes better nutrition, financial access for farmers, and biodiversity conservation, contributing to a just transition for vulnerable communities.
Opportunities for Action
- High-Income Countries' Role: High-income nations can lead by example, promoting renewable energy adoption and reducing consumer demand for emissions-intensive foods while supporting low- and middle-income countries in adopting low-emission practices.
- Middle-Income Countries' Potential: With significant cost-effective mitigation opportunities, middle-income countries can focus on reducing land-use emissions, curbing methane in livestock, and enhancing soil management practices.
- Low-Income Countries' Path: Prioritizing green growth and forest preservation can mitigate agrifood emissions in low-income countries, offering sustainable economic development and job opportunities.