COP29 agenda to prioritize sustainable agriculture and methane reduction
18 Sep 2024 --- The COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency reveals outcomes on its Action Agenda, which includes an important update on the Baku Harmoniya Initiative for Farmers, an innovative new initiative that will unite the disparate landscape of existing programs, coalitions and networks designed to empower farmers.
The Presidency laid out yesterday in full the series of pledges and declarations that it will use to supplement the negotiated COP agenda and accelerate climate action leading to, during and following COP29.
The Action Agenda also included the launch of the COP29 Declaration on Reducing Methane from Organic Waste to supplement the Global Methane Pledge.
Baku Harmoniya Initiative
In partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Baku Harmoniya Initiative for Farmers aims to:
Create a portal to clarify the landscape of existing programs designed to empower farmers. The initiative will serve as an aggregator that brings together disparate initiatives to improve coherence in the field and identify gaps and opportunities for future policymaking and support.
Catalyze investment in climate-resilient agrifood systems by matching needs with available funds. It will also seek to address the gap between Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and national agricultural Public Development Banks by facilitating collaboration between the two groups.
According to the UN, food waste generated up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, nearly five times that of the aviation sector.
Empower farmers, particularly women and youth, to help build climate-resilient agricultural communities by consulting with MDBs to produce accessible guidelines for farmers and agricultural organizations on how to apply for funds.
Altogether, this initiative will mean more funding will be spent more effectively, and go to where it is needed most, the Presidency says.
Kaveh Zahedi, director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment at the UN FAO, comments: “This Climate Initiative for Farmers represents an unparalleled opportunity to drive concrete climate solutions through agrifood systems.”
Reducing Methane from Organic Waste
The Declaration Reducing Methane from Organic Waste to supplement the GMP is being developed in partnership with the GMP Secretariat and UNEP’s Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and seeks to enhance ambition with more governments signing the Global Methane Pledge.
Governments endorsing the Declaration will declare their commitment to set sectoral targets to reduce methane from organic waste within future Nationally Determined Contributions.
