Limiting global warming to 1.5°C, preventing irreversible biodiversity loss and nourishing all people within planetary boundaries are impossible without an urgent and profound transformation of agriculture and food systems. At COP28, unprecedented attention was given to food systems, with the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action and the Non-State Actors Call to Action on Food System Transformation, as well as outcomes of the First Global Stocktake, emphasising the importance of strengthening Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) by 2025.

There are a series of upcoming conferences to recognise the critical importance of food systems transformation as an important part of climate and biodiversity action, including the upcoming Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSH) and the three COPs, however, countries still face major challenges in implementation.

“This event will place special focus on integrating soil health and food systems to strengthen Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Biodiversity Strategies and
Action Plans (NBSAPs), and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).”

The WWF, the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), CIFOR-ICRAF, the Alliance of Bioversity/CIAT (CGIAR), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are co-hosting the Roundtable Luncheon to explore the question of how global agreements can be translated to national level implementation and what role UNEA Resolutions can play in this context. For example linking Land Degradation Neutrality targets, Ecosystem Restoration targets, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Global Biodiversity Framework (Target 2 and 10) and Agricultural Strategies to scale implementation on the ground. Food systems transformation and land restoration are key to harmonising action between the Rio conventions to achieve climate, biodiversity and land targets. In view of this year's UNCCD COP 16 in Saudi Arabia, UNCBD COP 16 in Colombia, we want to place a special focus on addressing soil degradation and strengthening soil health.

Objectives

• Showcase ongoing efforts to link food systems, policy and soil health in NDCs, UNEA Resolutions and upcoming UNCBD, UNCCD, and UNFCCC CoPs

• Identify how global agreements can be translated to national level implementation

• Garner further support for wider recognition of the critical role of soil health in international negotiations

Questions for Participants

• What are concrete action points your organisation/constituency is planning over the next 12 months to implement evidence-based policy at National level?

• What are opportunities for collaboration in the upcoming UN CBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC?

• How can we use the Global Stocktake and UAE Emirates Food System Declaration as we move into UNFCCC to better align the three conventions and NDCs in relation to Food Systems and Climate?