Verschuuren, Jonathan --- "Climate change and agriculture under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and related documents" [2017] ELECD 501; in Angelo, Jane Mary; Du Plesis, Anél (eds), "Research Handbook on Climate Change and Agricultural Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017) 21

Book Title: Research Handbook on Climate Change and Agricultural Law

Editor(s): Angelo, Jane Mary; Du Plesis, Anél

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781784710637

Section: Chapter 2

Section Title: Climate change and agriculture under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and related documents

Author(s): Verschuuren, Jonathan

Number of pages: 26

Abstract/Description:

This chapter critically assesses the current and potential role of the UNFCCC and related documents, most importantly the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, in addressing the combined challenges for the agricultural sector of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the changing climate while increasing productivity. To date, agriculture has only played a marginal role in the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, and there are not many signs that things will be drastically different under the Paris Agreement. These international instruments certainly do not provide a powerful stimulus to adopt and implement policies aimed at converting agricultural practices to become climate smart. Under the UNFCCC, there is little attention to reducing emissions from agriculture. Most attention focuses on adaptation to climate change in rural areas in developing countries, particularly through the various instruments that finance adaptation projects in developing countries. Yet even in that area progress is painfully slow. Much more concrete action is needed to facilitate the transfer of adaptation technologies and adaptation know-how as well as funds to finance adaptation measures in agriculture to developing countries. For the developed countries, the UNFCCC does not make much of a contribution to addressing climate change and food security issues. Because emissions from agriculture have been rising on a yearly basis since 1990 and because the increase in demand for agricultural products (both for food and for biofuels) will cause emissions to rise further, agriculture can no longer be ignored in the international negotiations. Key Words: climate smart agriculture, technology transfer, food security, adaptation, mitigation, developing countries