CA4SH is co-hosting the Food Systems Pavilion at the UNFCCC COP27
On 18th August, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) announced that the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) will hold its first-ever Food Systems Pavilion.
Healthy soil is tantamount to sustainable, resilient and productive food systems, and they won’t go unnoticed on this momentous day.
As announced in the official press release, CA4SH was invited to co-host the Pavilion alongside 15 international leaders in food spaces, who span the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
Day 5 of the Pavilion will be dedicated to Boosting soil health through nature-positive production, putting soil’s indispensable contributions towards achieving equitable food security and thriving environments centre-stage.
Thematic days of the COP27 Food Systems Pavilion. CA4SH will lead day 5: BOOST.
Credit: Food Systems Pavilion website
With 95 per cent of our food directly or indirectly produced in soils, food and soils are inextricably linked. Up to 40% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface is already degraded, leaving our most vulnerable populations at the frontlines of climate change and food insecurity. It is critical that the negotiations taking place at COP27 integrate soil health in the advancement of food systems, mitigation of carbon emissions and climate change action.
But this isn’t the first time CA4SH has shown up to advocate for soil action in food systems dialogue!
In May 2022, CA4SH co-lead and CIFOR-ICRAF scientist Dr Leigh Winowiecki participated in the Healthy Soil for a Healthy Planet session of the 15th Conference of Parties for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This session formed part of the Conference’s first-ever Food Day. Another massive stepping stone towards advancing soil health in climate negotiations.
Ahead of the COP27 Food Systems Pavilion, CA4SH is coming in hot to keep the momentum going with strategies towards making this the COP of Soil Health and Food.
By launching the Soil Health Resolution of Soil Champions at COP27 (also available in Spanish and French!), we are calling on governments and decision-makers to issue a resolution to make soil a priority as the world’s third-largest carbon sink. Learn more about the Resolution here.
Keep up to date with the proceedings of the COP27 and CA4SH’s involvement with the goal of improving soil health globally through our dedicated event page, monthly newsletter, Resource Library, LinkedIn and Twitter, or by contacting us directly. We are always excited to collaborate on new ways to bring soil to the forefront of climate change mitigation.
