CGIAR Climate Change Platform Blog Posts
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Item Contributing to the Future of Climate Action: CGIAR's Participation at COP29 in Baku(Blog Post, 2024-11-08) CGIAR Climate Impact PlatformThe UNFCCC 29th Conference of the Parties will be held from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Focused on advancing the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29), will discuss the efforts to limit global warming, adapt to the impacts of climate change, and mobilize financing for these activities. CGIAR Climate Impact Platform is strategically coordinating CGIAR’s participation at COP29, ensuring our science and insights shape climate discussions on a global scale. Through five dedicated workstreams—Country Engagement, Evidence, Coalitions and Negotiations, Events and Communications, and Innovative Finance and Resource Mobilization—the platform has streamlined CGIAR’s involvement in key COP29 activities and UNFCCC processes.Item CGIAR's Role in Shaping Climate Action at COP29: Key Tracks and Contributions(Blog Post, 2024-11-06) CGIAR Climate Impact PlatformA cohesive global strategy is crucial to meet the climate goals and agreements. CGIAR emphasizes the importance of enhancing institutional alignment, refining financing frameworks, and expanding technical assistance to support country-led adaptation plans and investment pipelines. Strategic partnerships can strengthen governance and facilitate the use of technical cooperation platforms, streamlining efforts across food, land, and water systems. By prioritizing coordinated action, CGIAR seeks to empower smallholder farmers, enhance resilience, and contribute to a sustainable transformation of food systems in line with the Paris Agreement. To achieve this, CGIAR has prioritized some crucial tracks within the UNFCCC process. These include engaging with the COP Presidency, addressing the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on climate finance, setting the global goal on adaptation (GGA), enhancing agriculture and food security, promoting gender equality, developing non-market approaches, and addressing loss and damage. At COP29 we continued to monitor and contribute to these seven tracks, making 10 submissions to the UNFCCC.Item CGIAR Climate Impact Platform Collaborates with Juno Evidence Alliance to Inform Evidence Synthesis in Climate Change & Agri- Food Systems Research(Report, 2024-12-30) Bosire, CarolineThe CGIAR Climate Impact Platform is collaborating with the Juno Evidence Alliance to inform high-quality evidence synthesis in the field of climate change & agri-food systems. Juno Evidence Alliance is supporting the Platform through the facilitation systematic review methods training workshops for CGIAR scientists and partners with trainings, facilitation of advanced training courses for senior scientists, and ongoing mentorship on scoping reviews, rapid reviews, and bibliometric reviews.Item This Year’s Three UN Summits Set the Stage for COP30 to Transform Food Systems(Opinion Piece, 2024) Mukherji, Aditi; Masso, CargeleThis year has been a landmark one for climate and environment policy. Starting with the UN’s COP16 biodiversity talks in October, followed by the COP29 climate talks in November, and closing with the desertification COP16 in December, few years have offered such critical moments back-to-back. This created an unprecedented opportunity to bolster food systems against climate change, improve their environmental impacts, and concretize support for smallholder farmers – some of the people most affected by climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. Across the summits, negotiators broadly agreed on the need to integrate food systems into the UN’s three environmental frameworks, a step in the right direction given the interconnectedness of food and agriculture, and the environment at large. However, to build on the flagship UAE Declaration on food systems at the COP28 climate talks in 2023, the global community must urgently ramp up financing and action to make good on the ambitious goals set.Item Countries must scale up the use of clean technologies to transform the global agricultural sector into a more climate-resilient, low-emissions system, new report finds(Blog Post, 2024-09-27) CGIAR Climate Change Impact PlatformReducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems is crucial to keeping the world on track to meet international climate goals. The 2024 Breakthrough Report—Agriculture shows that momentum in this area is growing – yet food systems continue to account for nearly one-third of global emissions. The report emphasizes the need for stronger international collaboration to accelerate the deployment of new technologies and sustainable solutions that can help reduce agricultural emissions without compromising food or nutrition security. The 2024 Breakthrough Agenda Report – Agriculture is the first standalone report in the Breakthrough Agenda series to focus on agriculture. It assesses the status of international collaboration toward implementing sustainable practices in agriculture and proposes priority actions for governments to scale up the use of clean technologies and sustainable solutions in agrifood systems.Item Farmers must be front of the line for climate compensation after COP29. Here's why(Blog Post, 2024-11-19) Mukherji, AditiItem Gender - COP29 Negotiation Updates(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) CGIAR Climate Change Impact PlatformKenya’s submission on gender and climate change, supported by CGIAR, emphasizes the need for a GAP that promotes tangible, grassroots-level climate action, including mainstreaming gender in national policies, mapping gender-related climate vulnerabilities (in agriculture, water, and energy), and appointing focal points to promote gender-sensitive climate policies. There is a need for more gender-responsive budgeting, tools for gender analysis, and better technical support to empower women, especially in agriculture, where climate resilience efforts are critical for food security. For the next GAP it is needed enhanced data use, support for women and youth in sustainable agriculture, and dedicated funding to strengthen gendered approaches to climate resilience. This blog post covers updates on COP29 negotiations as tracked, analyzed, and reported by the CGIAR Climate Impact Platform.Item Climate Action for Peace, Relief, and Recovery: Uniting Efforts at COP29(Blog Post, 2024-11-15) Schapendonk, Frans; Rabie, SaraCOP29 Reflections by Frans Schapendonk, CGIAR Climate, Peace, and Security Specialist with the FOCUS Climate Security team at the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT and Sara Rabie, CGIAR Climate, Peace, and Security Specialist with the FOCUS Climate Security team at the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT.Item CGIAR’s potential tangible contribution to continued Article 6.8 implementation(Blog Post, 2024-11-17) Vallarino, Eliza J.At COP29, the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice has forwarded decision text on Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement to the Conference of the Parties for the latter’s consideration and adoption. Based on a quick analysis of the document, CGIAR expects to continue participating in the Article 6.8 space during the second phase of implementing the work program.Item The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) - COP29 Negotiation Updates(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) Chilambe, Pedro; Salfi, Laura; Leonard, Steve; Tesfaye, Lidya; Jalango, Dorcas; Ouedraogo, IssaThe New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) is a new global climate finance goal that the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) shall set from a floor of USD 100 billion per year, prior to 2025. This new goal will be set in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries. Deliberations on setting the new goal aim to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including by making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. The ad hoc work programme was established in 2021 to facilitate technical discussions on the NCQG, running from 2022 to 2024. The CMA will take stock of progress made in 2022 and 2023 and provide further guidance on the work programme. In 2024, the CMA (Baku) will set the NCQG. COP29 negotiation updates as tracked, analysed and reported by Pedro Chilambe, Laura Salfi, Steve Leonard, Lidya Tesfaye, Dorcas Jalango, and Issa Ouedraogo.Item Article 6.8 - COP29 Negotiation Updates(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) Villarino, ElizaThe work programme for non-market approaches (NMAs) under the Paris Agreement aims to facilitate voluntary cooperation among parties to implement their NDCs in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. The initial focus areas include adaptation, resilience, and sustainability; mitigation measures to address climate change and contribute to sustainable development; and the development of clean energy sources. CGIAR made two submissions to the NMA track. The submission emphasizes the need to strengthen the readiness and capacity of National Focal Points (NFPs) for effective implementation of Article 6.8’s non-market approaches (NMAs) under the Paris Agreement. The submission reviews progress from the first phase, which highlighted the critical role of NFPs in coordinating NMAs, promoting mitigation and adaptation efforts, engaging stakeholders, and ensuring respect for human rights and environmental safeguards. Moving into the second phase (2025–2026), the importance of building NFP capacity through Green Climate Fund (GCF) readiness programs, as NFPs are pivotal in facilitating a country-driven process, aligning NMAs with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and fostering inclusive, sustainable approaches is highlighted. Key recommendations for the second phase include prioritizing capacity building for NFPs, with a focus on technical skills for greenhouse gas quantification, stakeholder engagement, and gender integration. Additionally, it is proposed that the SCF increase its support for NMAs under Article 6.8, including through enhanced guidance and dedicated forums on climate finance. Through this approach, CGIAR advocates for a more comprehensive, participatory, and transparent process in implementing non-market climate strategies. COP29 negotiation updates on Article 6.8 as tracked, analysed and reported by: Ma Eliza Villarino.Item COP29: Multilateralism, Delays, Controversies, and Mixed Results for Climate Finance, Adaptation, and Agriculture(Blog Post, 2024-11-25) Miranda, DanielaReflections from COP29 by Daniela Miranda, Advocacy, Negotiations, and Partnership Intelligence, CGIAR on the results from key negotiation tracks for the agriculture and food systems sector.Item Just Transition - COP29 Negotiation Updates(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) Koren, Judith; Rabago, LauraThe just transition centers on shifting to a low-carbon economy in a way that supports affected workers, communities, and industries, ensuring social equity and environmental sustainability. The IPCC stresses that the just transition requires targeted and proactive measures from government and relevant actors to reduce any negative social, environmental or economic impacts of economy-wide transitions. The just transition means different things to different groups, underscoring the importance of an inclusive, diverse multi-stakeholder approach to categorically ensure no one is left behind. Originating from labor movements in North America in the 1970s, it has developed as a central piece in the energy transition, highlighting the need for fair job creation, worker protections, reskilling, and social dialogue, particularly in sectors heavily impacted by decarbonization, such as coal and other fossil fuels. First recognized in international climate negotiations and agreements through the COP21 Paris Agreement, the just transition has made notable progress as a key action item for the proceeding COPs. At COP24 in Katowice, the “Silesia Declaration on Solidarity and Just Transition” marked its formal recognition as a concept within the UN climate framework. At COP26 in Glasgow, the momentum continued with the formation of the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs). These partnerships mobilize financing from developed countries to support emerging economies in decarbonizing their energy sectors while promoting social equity. COP27 world leaders agreed on the Work Programme on Just Transition Pathways and further reinforced commitments to a just transition, emphasizing financing mechanisms and expanded stakeholder engagement to address diverse impacts across regions. Gender was emphasized at COP28 with the Gender-Responsive Just Transitions and Climate Action Partnerships, which currently has 82 signatures. COP29 will host the second High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on Just Transition, a follow-up to the first, which was held at COP28. An interesting development, if continued from COP28 discussions, will be whether Parties seek to expand the just transition to include other sectors, such as agriculture. COP29 will likely see greater conversations around financing mechanisms for the Just Transition, extending from the COP26 JETPs and COP27 Work Programme. A common theme throughout climate discussions, there will also likely be a continued push for the inclusive involvement of diverse stakeholders, with an emphasis on women, girls and youth, in the negotiation and development of just transition initiatives and financing mechanisms. COP29 negotiations on just transitions as tracked, analyzed, and reported by Judith Koren and Laura Rabago.Item Opinion: Farmers cannot lose out in the race to net-zero(Blog Post, 2024-11-19) Elouafi, Ismahane; Zahedi, KavehItem COP29 Key Take Aways, Negotiations, Side Events and Coverage(Blog Post, 2024-11-26) Edward-Uwadiale, Regina; Mukherji, AditiItem CGIAR Driving Food Systems Transformation: A Look at the Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation (ACF) and the Technical Cooperation Collaborative (TCC)(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) CGIAR Climate Change Impact PlatformThe 2023 COP28 conference marked a pivotal moment in the global conversation on food systems. The event underscored the critical role of food systems in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security. CGIAR is actively involved in various initiatives that emerged from COP28 to drive positive change in this area - including the Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation (ACF) and the Technical Cooperation Collaborative (TCC).Item Loss and Damage - COP29 Updates(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) Jeanneau, LouiseLoss and Damage (L&D) refers to the unavoidable impacts of climate change that exceed what communities can adapt to. These impacts include economic losses like damaged infrastructure and disrupted livelihoods, as well as non-economic losses, such as the loss of cultural heritage and biodiversity (UNFCCC, UNEP). L&D is a matter of climate justice and in this way, is closely related to the concept of Just Transition, as the most vulnerable countries to the adverse effects of climate change are often the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases. The urgency of addressing Loss and Damage has grown significantly in recent COP negotiations. In 2010, COP16 formally acknowledged L&D with the creation of the SBI Work Programme on L&D. Building on this, COP19 established the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) to provide countries facing L&D with knowledge-sharing, coordination, and financial support. Four years later, at COP25, the Santiago Network was launched to catalyze action by offering the technical assistance needed for developing countries to implement L&D on the ground, at local, national, and regional levels. A significant breakthrough came at COP28 when countries signed an historic agreement to operationalize the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) — enshrined in decisions 2/CP.27 and 2/CMA.4 — and followed it with a $420 million pledge. To advance the operations of the Fund, COP and CMA appointed Ibrahima Cheikh Diong as its first Executive Director in September 2024. This year, the focus will shift to discussions on how to efficiently implement the L&D Fund, including setting eligibility criteria, defining disbursement procedures, and ensuring rapid access to funding — avoiding delays that have plagued other climate finance mechanisms. While $700 million was pledged since COP28, this amount is far from the $580 billion in climate-related damages that developing countries could face by 2030. At COP29, developed countries should announce new pledges to ensure that support reaches real-time needs of most vulnerable communities. In addition, agriculture, which received only 4.3% of climate finance in 2019-2020 and has not been a central focus in L&D discussions, must be prioritized. The L&D Fund must allocate sufficient resources to strengthen food systems, given their crucial role in achieving global climate action. Equally important is the question of whether the New Quantified Goal on Adaptation will explicitly address loss and damage or include a dedicated sub-goal to this end. COP29 negotiations as tracked, analyzed, and reported by Louise, JeanneauItem Global Goal on Adaptation - COP29 Negotiation Update(Blog Post, 2024-11-11) Njuguna, Lucy; Nepal, Santosh; Mukherji, AditiThe 2015 Paris Agreement’s Article 7 set a global goal on adaptation to improve adaptive capacity, resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate change, supporting sustainable development. To achieve this, the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work program was launched at COP 26 (2021) to guide efforts under the Subsidiary Bodies (SBSTA and SBI). At CMA 4 (COP27), countries began developing a framework to track progress on this adaptation goal. In 2023, discussions focused on setting targets for adaptation and resilience. At CMA 5 (COP28), the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience was adopted, providing specific targets. A two-year UAE–Belém work program was also established to develop indicators for measuring progress. SB 60 further guided this effort, requesting technical experts to support the process. COP29 negotiation updates as tracked, analyzed and reported by Lucy Njuguna, Santosh Nepal, and Aditi Mukherji.Item Bridging Science and Action: Bringing Understandings of Vulnerability and Climate Attribution Closer(Blog Post, 2024-11-24) Raju, Emmanuel; Kimutai, Joyce; Rabago, Laura