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UN Climate Summit: India objects to linking action on emissions to agriculture

New Delhi, 19 Nov 2022 | ANN

India has objected strongly to discussions under a special UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) effort known as the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, which has sought to expand efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouses gases to the agriculture sector, at the UN Climate Summit held in Egypt that ended yesterday.

India said, developed countries are blocking a pro-poor and pro-farmer decision by insisting on expanding the scope for mitigation to agriculture, thereby compromising the very foundation of food security in the world.

According to the sources, India made it clear that the world is facing a climate crisis today because of the excessive historic cumulative emissions by the developed nations.

According to sources, a draft decision under the Koronivia Joint Work mentions mitigation – the efforts to reduce emissions – multiple times.

“Noted that many approaches with high potential for adaptation, adaptation co-benefits and mitigation relate to land and food systems, such as conserving and restoring ecosystems, improving sustainability of agricultural practices and reducing food loss and waste from sustainable food systems,” it states.

“Promoting a holistic approach to addressing issues related to agriculture and food security, taking into consideration regional, national and local circumstances, in order to deliver a range of multiple benefits, where applicable, such as adaptation, adaptation co-benefits and mitigation” it added.

A non-profit organization, EWG (Environment Working Group) also tweeted on the day of summit claiming that agriculture is the leading source of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 300 times more powerful than CO2. Reducing nitrous oxide is key to quickly limiting rising global temperature.

It should be noted that more than half of India’s population depend on agriculture.
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