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Farmers are turning to technology-driven solutions as diminishing bee populations pose pollination issues.

Mr. Sade created BloomX, a technology startup, on a moshav, or collective farm in central Israel. He claims that the company has discovered a method for mechanically pollinating crops, similar to how bees do it.

Three-quarters of all crops grown for human use, especially those bearing fruits or seeds, rely on pollinators to some extent. Honeybees cultivated for farming and over 20,000 different wild bee species, including bumblebees, are important pollinators.

The Significance of Insects to Life on Earth

Insects are critical to the survival of life on Earth. Bees alone produce 75% of the pollination required for fruits, nuts, and vegetables in the United States. Wasps and butterflies account for the remaining 25% throughout Europe.

Unfortunately, bee populations are facing serious challenges. Climate change, loss of natural habitats, and pesticide use all put strain on them. Furthermore, European honeybees are particularly vulnerable to the parasite varroa destructor.

BloomX's technique is focused on two crops: blueberries and avocados. This method provides pollination even when local bees are scarce.

"Robee," their main product, resembles a giant push-along lawn mower. It has two mechanical arms that extend on either side. When these arms are moved over blueberry plants, they cause pollen to be released. The vibration level has been carefully tuned to simulate the wing activity of bumble bees, who are the most effective pollinators of blueberries, stimulating the blossoms during pollination.

BloomX also sells "Crossbee," a mobile gadget designed for collecting and disbursing sticky pollen grains among avocado plants. This equipment is used in many different parts of the world, including South America, South Africa, Spain, the United States, and Israel. BloomX claims that it can enhance fruit harvests by up to 30%.

These products are controlled by AI-powered software that is linked to a mobile phone app. Furthermore, each gadget includes GPS technology, allowing agricultural workers to trace the parts of a field that have been treated.

Sensors can also be used to guarantee that pollination occurs on the most favourable days.

Almond Pollination Challenges for Honeybees

California dominates the almond industry, producing 80% of the world's almonds and generating an estimated $10.4 billion in annual revenue. During the almond flowering season, honeybees are transported from all over the United States to pollinate the state's massive 1.3 million acres of almond trees.

According to some reports, up to 70% of commercial honeybee populations in the United States are transferred to California for this purpose.

This honey bee migration may result in pollination shortages for other crops in other sections of the country. Artificial pollination may provide a remedy to the pollination gap.

"Travel can stress honey bees and weaken colonies, but the business of pollinating almonds is hugely important for beekeeper income and keeping their operations economically viable."

"However, the impact on other crops is that honey bees may be in short supply if other crops have bloomed at a time that coincides with the California almond industry." According to Lisa Wasko DeVetter, associate professor of horticulture at Washington State University.

The almond fields suffer a number of obstacles, including a high rate of honeybee death due to pesticide exposure and the stress of long-distance transit. Furthermore, this reliance on honeybees can endanger local wild bees by forcing them to compete for food and confront new diseases.

Technology for Artificial Pollination

Some argue that artificial pollination should be used in almond agriculture. According to Eylam Ran, CEO of the Israeli software business Edete, relying only on bees may place them in unfavourable situations.

Edete's technique focuses on pollen preservation, with the ability to store it for years without deterioration. They've created machinery for efficiently collecting and applying pollen.

Edete's technology has mostly been used in pistachio farms in California, but they are now expanding their efforts to include almond farming.

Source: openaccessgovernment.org

As Antarctic winter sea ice shrinks by 1 million square kilometres, emissions reductions are urgently needed.

The Antarctic sea ice has reached record lows this winter, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC).

The "extreme record-breaking year" adds to experts' concerns about the increasing impact of climate change at the southern pole.

Researchers warn that the shift might have disastrous effects for creatures such as penguins that breed and grow their young on sea ice.

In a vicious circle, it also hastens global warming by limiting the amount of sunlight reflected back into space by white ice.

How much ice has melted in Antarctica?

The 'extent' of Antarctic sea ice, defined as the total area of ocean containing sea ice at concentrations greater than 15%, peaked on September 10.

According to the NSIDC, it covered barely 16.96 million square kilometres at the time, the lowest winter maximum since satellite records began in 1979.

This is approximately 1 million square kilometres less ice than the previous winter record established in 1986.

"It's not just a record-breaking year; it's an extreme record-breaking year," says Walt Meier, senior scientist at the National Science Foundation.

The NSIDC stated in a statement that the figures were preliminary and that a comprehensive analysis would be presented next month.

In the Southern Hemisphere, seasons are reversed, with sea ice often peaking around September near the end of winter and later receding to its lowest point in February or March as summer comes to a conclusion.

In February, the summer Antarctic sea ice extent also reached a new low, exceeding the previous record established in 2022.

How does Antarctic sea ice loss compare to the Arctic's loss?

Over the last decade, the Arctic has been heavily struck by the climate crisis, with sea ice quickly diminishing as the northern area warms four times faster than the global average.

While climate change is causing glaciers in Antarctica to melt, it is unclear how rising temperatures are affecting sea ice near the southern pole. Between 2007 and 2016, the area of sea ice increased.

Scientists are concerned that the recent move towards record-low conditions indicates that climate change is finally manifesting itself in Antarctic sea ice.

While Meier emphasised that it is too early to speculate, an academic article published earlier this month in the journal Communications Earth and Environment mentioned climate change as a possible contributor.

The study discovered that rising ocean temperatures, primarily due to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, are contributing to the recent decline in sea ice levels.

"The key message here is that we really need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to protect these frozen parts of the world that are really important for a whole bunch of reasons," says Ariaan Purich, a sea ice researcher at Australia's Monash University who co-authored the paper.

Source: euronews.com

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Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, urged world governments to take advantage of the great opportunity provided by COP28 in the UAE to accelerate climate action, with a particular emphasis on food system transformation and encouraging nature-based solutions.

This occurred during her high-level talks on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) 78th session in New York.

Almheiri, who is also the COP28 Food Systems Lead, emphasised the significance of collective effort in order to establish more sustainable global food systems, emphasising the UAE's emphasis on food and agriculture in the COP28 agenda.

She also highlighted the UAE's support for the Mangrove Breakthrough and the Mangroves Ministerial, which will be held during COP28 on Nature, Oceans, and Land Use Day to foster debates on nature-based solutions.

She explained the importance of the COP28 Food Systems and Agriculture Agenda, which focuses on four key domains of country-led action, non-state actor leadership and action, innovation scaling, and finance, during her participation in the Ministerial Panel Discussion on the High Impact Initiative Food Systems, organised by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Inviting other countries to demonstrate national leadership by signing the first-ever Emirates Declaration on Food Systems, Agriculture, and Climate Action, which was emailed to all agriculture ministers on September 27 for feedback.

The UAE's goal, according to Almheiri, is to further galvanise community effort to improve the food system.

Speaking at the 'Nature and People (HAC): From Ambition to Action' High-Level event, Almheiri reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to nature-based solutions and their role in strengthening resilience to climate change.

She stated that COP28 will mobilise robust action to drive implementation and advance the climate-nature agenda, as well as demonstrate practical, novel, and at-scale solutions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage critical land and ocean ecosystems such as forests, mangroves, peatlands, and corals, as part of the Presidency's Action Agenda.

"This collaborative effort between the Global Mangrove Alliance and the UN Climate Change High-level Champions has support from non-state actors and governments worldwide with one main goal: to restore and protect 15 million hectares of mangroves globally by 2030," Almheiri said, endorsing the Mangrove Breakthrough. These kinds of ambitious, responsible, and collaborative nature-based projects can assist the global community get back on track to meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2050."

She urged all nations to support the Mangrove Breakthrough and become active members of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC). MAC, a collaboration between the UAE and Indonesia, has attracted 20 partners to scale up and expedite mangrove ecosystem protection and restoration for the benefit of communities globally.

Speaking at the 'Food+ Forum: Foreign Policy' with Thomas Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, Almheiri emphasised the importance of directing collective innovation and mobilising global funding to combat global hunger and develop sustainable and equitable food systems.

She asked countries to join AIM for Climate, which the UAE co-chairs with the United States. AIM for Climate has collected $13 billion in funding for climate-smart agricultural and food chain innovation, with over 500 worldwide partners.

"The UAE believes that securing equitable climate finance for developing countries is one of the most powerful ways COP28 can deliver." As a result, we can all work together to greatly improve the food system. Unlocking priorities at the national level might make a significant and immediate difference in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. This is what the UAE Presidency intends to highlight at COP28 in just two months, resulting in a positive paradigm shift in our food systems."

Source: khaleejtimes.com

Almost all indications have deviated or are pointing in the wrong direction. Extreme weather events are displacing millions of people, the earth is warming, and out-of-control wildfires continue to kill and destroy people from Canada to Greece.

Coal, oil, and gas continue to contribute for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, fueling the climate problem. While the climate catastrophe has already caused considerable damage, and global greenhouse gas emissions are at record levels, change is conceivable. 

There have been other climate summits, but this one will be unusual in that it will feature only the "first movers and doers" - those leaders who reacted to the Secretary-General's appeal for accelerated action to address the climate catastrophe. 

The list will include national and local governments, as well as industry executives, financial institutions, and civil society members who can demonstrate credible, ambitious activities, plans, and policies. As a result, the Summit attempts to promote solutions and motivate additional leaders to join the "first movers and doers."

Here are the top five things you need to know:

Time’s up

The climate catastrophe impacts everyone and every country. According to the UN, half of the world's population already lives in risk zones, where people are 15 times more likely to die from associated effects. In the previous 50 years, about 70% of all deaths from climate-related disasters have occurred in the world's 46 least developed countries.

"The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived," stated UN Secretary-General António Guterres. "The air is unbreathable, the heat is unbearable, and the level of fossil fuel profits and inaction on climate change is unacceptable." Leaders must take the initiative. There will be no more hesitation. There will be no more excuses. No more waiting for others to take the initiative. There simply isn't enough time for that."

‘No nonsense summit’

When the UN Secretary-General announced the worldwide event in December, he stated he expected "a no-nonsense summit" with no exceptions or compromises.

"There will be no room for backsliders, greenwashers, blame-shifters, or repackaging of previous year's announcements," he stated.

A growing number of governments, influencers, and leaders are rising to the occasion. The number of countries with national catastrophe risk reduction programmes has more than doubled since 2015. Many people have been involved in efforts like the Secretary-General's Climate Action Acceleration Agenda.

The agenda, which was launched earlier this year, lays out the objectives that government, business, and finance leaders will need to do by 2023 in order to avoid dangerous climate thresholds and provide justice for those on the frontlines. This includes urging countries to "speed up their efforts," commit to no new coal and phase it out, and get to the cleanest finish line possible: net-zero emissions, he said.

The term "net zero" refers to achieving a balance between carbon emitted into the atmosphere and carbon extracted from it. The research clearly reveals that the global temperature increase must be confined to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change and preserve a habitable planet.

Cleaner ambitions

Government leaders, particularly big emitters, are expected to give performance reports. They will report on where they stand on honouring their commitments to major treaties like the Paris Climate Agreement.

Action plans, often known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), are also expected. These will range from net-zero targets to promises to the Green Climate Fund, which assists developing nations in raising and implementing action plans to reduce emissions and increase resilience.

All major emitters, including all G20 states, will be asked to commit to proposing more aggressive economy-wide nationally defined contributions with absolute emissions cuts and coverage of all gases by 2025.

Goodbye greenwashing

Business, city, regional, and financial leaders will be expected to produce transition plans that adhere to the UN-backed credibility standards outlined in the UN-commissioned Integrity Matters study.

This voluntary net-zero pledge standard is the only one that is fully compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

The report advocates for methods to phase out and phase out fossil fuels, as well as emissions cutbacks and a commitment to openly push for science-based climate action.

Climate justice now!

The ultimate goal is to achieve climate justice. This includes taking into account the world's smallest polluters, who carry the more dangerous weight of the world's largest emitters, particularly the G20 countries.

Participants at the summit will discuss the difficulties and opportunities associated with advancing the decarbonization of high-emitting sectors such as energy, shipping, aviation, steel, and cement. 

They are expected to reveal climate justice actions. On the ground, this includes shielding more people from climate disasters by 2027 and increasing adaptation funds by 2025.

It will also involve discussions about putting the Loss and Damage Fund into action. The Fund, the first of its type of financial instrument to assist vulnerable nations, was the crowning achievement of the most recent Conference of Parties to the UN Climate Change Convention, often known as COP 27.

Source: news.un.org

Young people who are showing courageous climate leadership can nominate their work for the 2023 United Nations Global Climate Action Awards.

Since 2011, the UN Climate Change Awards have recognised the world's most innovative instances of climate change action. This year's awards will recognise young people and projects who are pursuing ambitious and effective climate action in the areas of energy transition and resilient nature.

The winners of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, 2023, will be honoured.

"The UN Global Climate Action Awards represent an opportunity to recognise the innovative climate action that young people around the world are undertaking to ensure that their communities are more sustainable, resilient, and equitable places to live," said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. "The Awards also highlight young people's climate leadership, setting an inspiring example for others to follow."

The UN Global Climate Action Awards highlight actions that aim to assist meet the Paris Agreement's temperature goals. The Awards have recognised transformative projects such as the Quebec government's climate finance programme and Microsoft's internal carbon charge. Previous winners include the world's greenest football club, Lebanon's first all-women solar squad, a Swedish restaurant chain developing the world's first 'climate positive' menu, and the Danish island of Sams, which has fully overhauled its energy infrastructure.

In two categories, the 2023 UN Global Climate Action Awards will recognise climate action driven by young people that is achieving genuine and demonstrable results:

1. Recognising the efforts of youngsters (up to 35 years old) in driving renewable energy and/or energy efficiency activities that are locally led and/or community focused. To fulfil goals and promote more fairness in the community, these efforts involve components of education, training, and public awareness. 

2. Recognising creative work on nature and resiliency by an individual or group of young people (up to 35 years old) in indigenous and/or local communities. Nature-based solutions and/or ecosystem-based approaches should be used to repair, maintain, or enhance nature's resilience or contributions to humanity. To achieve its goals of better fairness in the community, these initiatives integrate public awareness, public participation, and/or public access to information.

The Awards are organised in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the UAE Permanent Representative to IRENA.

Applications for the 2023 UN Global Climate Action Award will be accepted until 15 October 2023 at:https://momentum.unfccc.int/

As the COP28 meeting in Dubai approaches, the criticism of oil and gas producers from certain Western circles – officials and organisations — has increased.

To be honest, coordinated campaigns against oil and gas producers are nothing new. These groups, with the assistance of some sympathisers in the worldwide media, spread half-baked hypotheses to buttress their assertions in order to discredit or blame the opposing party for the difficulties at hand. This time, they're blaming hydrocarbon manufacturers for the crisis, citing "this year being the hottest" in human history. Their primary aim is members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

However, it appears that these detractors purposefully prefer to ignore information such as the fact that there are far worse pollutants on Earth that have contributed to the planet's temperature rise. They frequently overlook the fact that the Western industrialised nations have been releasing greenhouse gases for the last 200 years, far before others, and that countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany continue to subsidise coal mining, which is the second largest source of pollution after greenhouse gases. Anyone can independently verify the veracity of these assertions.

I'd like to give some additional data and figures to back up my claim. Last year, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom granted licences to businesses to explore for oil, indicating that they expect oil and gas to remain their primary sources of energy for the foreseeable future.

The fact that the United States and Russia are fighting over who will extend energy lines from the East to Europe via the Mediterranean, via its regional allies, implies that oil and gas will be part of the West's long-term future ambitions. 

Europe and the rest of the globe continue to rely significantly on oil and gas, and the fact that any change would take a long time implies that, at least in my opinion, reliance on oil and gas will continue to prevail for the next 100 years. It fascinates me that Western leaders come to COP meetings in private planes powered by hydrocarbons and then proclaim the end of the oil era.

I'd like to ask a question as well. Will any of the coal mining and oil-producing Western countries dare to reduce coal subsidies? No, it does not. I know this for a fact since a German minister informed me so many years ago when I was representing Saudi Arabia as a top negotiator at COP meetings. Thousands of households, he said, rely on that industry. So today I ask them: Will oil giants in the West allow their own states to shut them down first before preaching to other countries?

I agree that the world needs to diversify its energy sources. Climate change is a natural phenomena that has been from the beginning of time, and human activity cannot halt it, but it does contribute to it. Nobody denies it. However, the West's wars, with nuclear bombs launched in the oceans and on land, continuous subsidies to the coalmining and cow raising sectors, and deforestation are far more polluting than oil or gas.

The year 2030 does not herald the end of oil, but it does usher in a new era in which states must act responsibly in terms of consumption.

Saudi Arabia and other GCC energy producers, on the other hand, are working assiduously on well-planned agendas towards a greener future, with Saudi Arabia just declaring its net-zero carbon strategy. I wouldn't go any further than that — you can read about it in my new book "The Blame Game: Industrial States vs. Oil," which discusses the agenda-driven struggle over climate change.

Source: arabnews.com

A startling spike in the number of Asian hornet sightings in the United Kingdom has beekeepers and wildlife enthusiasts on edge. However, the invasive species poses a significant danger to European beekeeping and honey production. Asian hornets (Vespa velutina), which are native to Southeast Asia, are a major honey bee predator. A single Asian hornet is said to be capable of hunting down and devouring up to 50 honeybees per day.

According to research, Asian hornets might cost the French economy €30.8 million (£26.4 million) per year in the worst-case scenario. However, their threat extends beyond bees in a hive. Asian hornets also prey on natural pollinators like bumblebees, threatening the pollination services these organisms provide.

Asian hornets eat more than only other bees. They also make them avoid flowers. According to one study, the presence of these predators reduced flower visits by bumblebees and hoverflies significantly.

Worker hornets were sighted foraging at an apiary in Tetbury in Gloucestershire in 2016, marking the first sighting of Asian hornets in the UK. Since then, concerned citizens and beekeepers have discovered and identified 43 Asian hornet nests in the United Kingdom, primarily in southern areas such as Kent, Hampshire, and Devon.

So far, there have been more confirmed Asian hornet sightings in the UK in 2023 than in the previous five years combined. Despite occasional reports that the Asian hornet has established itself in the UK, there is no proof that these insects can withstand British winters.

The proliferation of invasive Asian hornets is a global phenomenon. Invasive species are responsible for 60% of global plant and animal extinctions, according to a recent research from the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Each year, its implied economic cost is estimated to be over US$420 billion (£335 billion).

Getting Across The Border

The Asian hornet (also known as the yellow-legged hornet) was first discovered in Europe in 2004, in the Lot-et-Garonne region of south-western France. It was allegedly introduced to Europe by mistake in a cargo of imported Chinese pottery. Asian hornets have now migrated to neighbouring countries such as Spain, Portugal, Germany, and the United Kingdom. So far in 2023, sightings have been concentrated along the coast in Kent, Dorset, Hampshire, Plymouth, and Weymouth.

According to genetic investigations conducted by the National Bee Unit, which manages bee health programmes in England and Wales, Asian hornets discovered in the UK share the same ancestry as the population on continental Europe. This implies that they are crossing the channel from France on maritime winds, with re-invasions occurring on a yearly basis.

It's possible that the recent spike of sightings in the UK is due to greater summer temperatures reported across Europe in 2023. Hornets require warm weather, such as those found in Asia, to survive. Warmer summers increase the likelihood that they may move into the UK from Europe and survive long enough to be noticed by humans.

Scientists are still unsure what prompted the widespread invasion of 2023. However, a study led by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is currently ongoing to investigate the underlying reasons.

Why Are They a Threat?

Beekeeping isn't just a European business. In Asia, about 45 million honeybee hives house nearly half of the world's honeybees. All of these bees coexist well with the Asian hornet. So, why are European beekeepers so concerned about an insect that is largely a part of beekeepers' daily lives in Asia? The key is in the breeding process.

European beekeeping has never had to deal with a major predatory threat like the Asian hornet. The European hornet (Vespa crabro), for example, resembles the Asian hornet but is roughly twice as large. However, this species offers little danger to humans or bees. The giant woodwasp (Urocerus gigas) can grow to be approximately 5 cm long (about the size of a house key) and is distributed throughout Europe. This species, on the other hand, is absolutely harmless and quite mild.

Due to the scarcity of native predators, European beekeepers have purposefully bred bees that are simpler to handle and capable of producing more honey. As a result, these bees are defenceless in the face of a formidable predator like the Asian hornet.

Several bee species in Japan, China, and South Korea are far more adept at repelling Asian hornet attacks than their European equivalents. The gigantic honeybee (Apis dorsata) is so enormous that it can suffocate a hornet with its body bulk. Meanwhile, her sisters swarm the intruder, slowly heating it up and roasting it alive—a very efficient defence.

How to Identify Them

Asian hornets are a little bit smaller than European hornets. Their thorax is dark brown, their legs are yellow-tipped, they have a black head, and their face is orange. The Asian hornet's abdomen, which is dark brown with a nearly completely orange fourth segment, may be its most distinguishing feature.

Source: phys.org

The connection between climate change and agriculture is obvious: food systems account for one-third of all human-caused global greenhouse gas emissions. The relationship between climate change and meat should also be quite evident - animal agriculture has been shown to create between 11-19.5% of the world's emissions, and one study indicated that animal-derived diets emit twice as much as plant-based foods.

Despite all evidence, food has long been a contentious issue at the world's top climate summit. The UN applied climate labels to its meat-heavy food menu at COP26 in Glasgow, with some animal-based dishes having a carbon footprint 30 times greater than plant-based ones. However, it failed to include food and livestock cultivation on the agenda. And, despite the fact that last year's meeting in Egypt featured the first-ever pavilions dedicated to food system improvements, eliminating meat and dairy was not on the agenda.

It hasn't helped that there has been a significant underreporting of the impact of livestock farming on the climate issue (just 7% of climate stories in the media include animal agriculture), as well as a paucity of global climate funding dedicated to food and agriculture. Intensive lobbying by the meat and dairy industries, which receive billions in subsidies from many of the governments attending COP conferences, against the plant-based sector exacerbates the problem and leads to consumer misconceptions, as evidenced by the 74% of Americans who believe eating meat has no impact on climate change.

Finally, COP28 Throws a Light on Food

However, the tide appears to be turning this year. Last month, the UN declared that its catering menu would be predominantly plant-based at the summit in Dubai (which saw the establishment of the UAE's first plant-based meat factory earlier this year). And this was only a taste of what's to come: COP28 will finally have a strong emphasis on food, with policy announcements and a new food pavilion, capped off by a dedicated Food, Agriculture, and Water Day on December 10.

According to Raphael Podselver, director of UN Affairs at food advocacy non-profit ProVeg International, this day will highlight investment in innovation, procurement for regenerative agriculture, national transformation pathways supported by funding mechanisms, and project preparation.

According to him, this is the "first time we are having real discussions on food and agriculture at a COP summit," and he anticipates policy adjustments aimed at increasing plant-rich diets and protein diversity, enhancing food security, and lowering agrifood emissions.

Podselver called the COP28 vow to offer largely vegan food "excellent progress," but says that there is still work to be done to promote awareness among UN nations about the influence of food on the climate, as well as measures to reduce emissions. "We believe climate data is helping to move things forward, particularly the latest IPCC report on the need to embrace plant-based diets to combat climate change," he says.

According to the IPCC assessment, switching to plant-rich diets (together with other alternative proteins) could result in a "substantial reduction in direct greenhouse gas emissions from food production." However, a leaked draft of the original paper revealed that the authors initially advocated for a transition to plant-based diets before softening their language in the final edition.

In any event, Podselver believes the COP28 decision sets a precedent: "We expect to see plant-based catering as well as emissions labelling on food embraced by other summits in the future." We absolutely do not see this as a one-time event, but rather as another step in increasing awareness about how to make our diets more climate-friendly."

The North-South Divide & The Food4Climate Pavilion

The Food4Climate Pavilion will be set up for the second time at this year's summit by a partnership of NGOs. ProVeg, World Animal Protection, Compassion in World Farming, Plant Based Foods Institute, Humane Society International, Mercy for Animals, and Four Paws are among the organisations involved.

The Food4Climate Pavilion will emphasise the significance of prioritising alternative protein production over animal protein, as well as addressing meat overconsumption in the Global North. A wealthier region, and as a group, the world's richest are responsible for 50% of total emissions, compared to 7% for the poorest.

The economic disparity extends to climatic consequences as well. According to one study, if global temperatures rise by 2°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, the richest people will be primarily responsible for the deaths of the poor. The North-South divide was a source of controversy at COP26, when thousands of people from the Global South were unable to participate due to visa and accreditation issues, a scarcity of Covid-19 vaccines, and changing travel requirements.

Policy Changes & a 1.5°C Target

A slew of food policy announcements will be made during COP28 to assist alleviate the impact of climate change. It covers the roadmap developed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to keep global temperature rises to the 1.5°C limit established in the Paris Agreement. "To make a serious effort to stay within internationally agreed-upon temperature targets under the Paris Agreement, we need to enable a shift to alternative protein production as soon as possible," Podselver argues.

However, this objective is under considerable jeopardy. Multiple evaluations have concluded that controlling this temperature rise may be impossible, with many blaming the influence of food and agriculture systems. According to one study, high-methane food consumption must be reduced in order to fulfil the target, as present levels of food emissions will cause at least 0.7°C of global warming by 2100.

In reality, research has indicated that if things continue as they are, the globe will release roughly 1,356 billion tonnes of CO2e by 2100, pushing us well past the 1.5°C limit. Even if we eliminate all non-food emissions (energy and industry), food emissions alone will exceed the 1.5°C carbon budget.

Can we realistically stick to this goal? According to Podselver, there is a 66% likelihood that annual global surface temperatures would temporarily exceed 1.5°C for at least one of the next five years, according to a World Meteorological Organisation report. "The COP summits give the world a chance to stay on track to meet the 1.5°C target, and we hope that by raising awareness of the impact of agriculture on climate change through our Food4Climate Pavilion, we can help the world meet that goal successfully," he says.

He adds that there would be concrete conversations about the COP26 deforestation and methane pledges. Furthermore, the COP28 chair "wishes to obtain a Leaders Declaration on Food Systems, with concrete commitments to transform our broken food systems, mitigate emissions, and ensure food security for all."

Source: greenqueen.com.hk