Over 130 Nations Agree To Include Food, Agriculture In Climate Plans

In a move hailed by observers, More than 130 countries agreed to prioritise food and agriculture in their national climate plans at COP28 in Dubai today despite fears over its silence on the role of fossil fuels.

Food systems are estimated to be responsible for roughly a third of human-made greenhouse gases but are increasingly threatened by global warming and biodiversity loss.

Summit hosts, the United Arab Emirates said a  total of 134 countries who produce 70 percent of the food eaten worldwide signed the declaration.

The declaration said that countries will strengthen efforts to integrate food systems into their emissions-cutting plans.

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 It added that the Nations would also pursue efforts to support farmers and other vulnerable food producers, including through increased funding, more infrastructure and developing early warning systems. 

It also emphasised the importance of restoring land, changing away from greenhouse-gas emitting agricultural practices and reducing food loss.

The United States, European Union, China and Brazil were among the countries to sign the declaration.

The COP28 statement said the 134 nations are home to 5.7 billion people and represent more than three quarters of all greenhouse gas emissions from the global food system — or 25 percent of total emissions worldwide.