FRONTIER TECHNOLOGY – FINANCING FIT-FOR-FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE
6.3
How regenerative agriculture can make climate solutions more resilient
Improving carbon sequestra- tion through restoring soil could provide a substantial boost to achieving the Paris Agreement, but this is a largely overlooked and underfunded concern.
T he global food system is at a critical juncture, contribut- ing to and suffering from the impacts of climate change. A key driver, agriculture is responsible for 37% of global green- house gas emissions and uses 70% of the world’s water resources. Soils are being depleted at an alarm- ing rate, with around 12 million hectares turning to desert each year – an area the size of Iceland. This land degradation lowers agricultural pro- ductivity and releases stored carbon, worsening climate change. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification warns that, unchecked, 90% of the world’s soils could be degraded by 2050, further destabilising food systems as well as increasing poverty and hunger. To reverse this, we must urgently finance a just transition that restores soil health, captures carbon, and strength- ens water and climate resilience. Despite being highly vulnerable to resource degradation, soil erosion and water variability – which can lead to floods, droughts and pollution – agri- culture can be part of the solution. Regenerative practices can sequester carbon, improve water retention and boost biodiversity. The upcoming Conferences of the Parties to the conventions on biodiver- sity, climate change and desertification in late 2024 are opportunities to pro- mote regenerative agriculture globally and unite actors across the value chain to support farmers.
Regenerative agriculture’s impact By adopting no-till farming, agro- forestry, crop rotation and cover cropping, farmers can help restore soil health, sequester carbon and increase biodiversity. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, enhanc- ing soil carbon sequestration through regenerative agriculture could seques- ter up to 23 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050, a substantial portion of the mitigation required to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Regenerative agriculture also builds resilience to climate impacts by improving water retention, increas- ing biodiversity and creating healthier ecosystems. Where climate change is already wreaking havoc on agriculture, as in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia, regenerative prac- tices can help farmers increase yields, reduce dependency on expensive inputs such as synthetic fertilisers, and protect their livelihoods from extreme weather events. Studies from the Rodale Institute show that by improving soil health and water retention, farmers prac- tising regenerative agriculture can increase productivity under drought conditions, compared to conventional methods. Addressing the climate finance gap Over the past decade, climate finance has nearly doubled. However, fund- ing at the project level for the agrifood
Tania Strauss, head of food and water, World Economic Forum
DESPITE BEING HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO RESOURCE ¿ÀÂͼ¿¼ÏÄÊÉ SOIL EROSION AND WATER VARIABILITY – WHICH CAN LEAD TO ÁÇÊʿοÍÊÐÂÃÏÎ AND POLLUTION – AGRICULTURE CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
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Financing a Just Transition
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