The UNEP Emissions Gap Report and climate-smart agriculture

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There is a definite role for agriculture to play in climate change mitigation, but still far too little information on the scale of its potential contribution. This was the overriding message from yesterday’s COP 19 side event Scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture: policies, development and mitigation potentials, hosted by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

The speakers were responding to the 2013 UNEP Emissions Gap Report, released this month. The Report, released annually by UNEP since 2010, examines the gap between worldwide pledged emissions reductions by 2020 and emissions reductions necessary to actually meet climate targets. Merlyn Van Voore, speaking for UNEP, described the Report’s objective as addressing a fundamental question in climate change negotiations—whether or not we, as a global community, are on track to keep climate change within a two degree range.

The short answer is no.

Read the full story on the Landscapes Blog for People, Food and Nature.

Photo: E. Spiegel