The course is part of the contribution provided by the European Union (EU), through the EUROCLIMA+ programme, to Chile in its role as Presidency of COP25.

 

 

13 August, several countries - The virtual course "Conceptual bases of the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the agri-food sector in Latin America", organised by the Resilient Food Production sector of the EUROCLIMA+ programme in the framework of the Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA), has successfully concluded. It was attended by 23 participants from 3 countries in the region, who strengthened their conceptual capacities on the reference framework of the Paris Agreement and the importance of the food sector for implementing their NDCs.

This course has been developed with the support of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Office of Agrarian Studies and Policies of the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile (ODEPA), as part of the contribution provided by the European Union (EU) to Chile, through the EUROCLIMA+ programme, in its role as Presidency of COP25, to promote climate action, both in Chile and in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is part of a series of actions integrated in the Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA), launched in December 2019 in the framework of COP25, to contribute to the strengthening of the technical capacities of the Ministries of Agriculture of the region and the promotion of climate action in the agricultural sector.

Participants include coordinators from the regional technical committees on climate change of the Ministry of Agriculture in the 15 regions of Chile, and from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and representatives from Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, countries involved in the management of PLACA. 

It is worth noting that 15 (8 women) of the 23 participants have joined the possibility of doing practical work to become certified with a view to multiplying and transferring the concepts and lessons learned within their teams and institutions. The action plans include virtual and face-to-face events and nearly 200 people, including managers and technical staff, have already been invited. The main themes have been the framework of the agreement, adaptation and mitigation, and there has also been an example of climate finance and transparency.

“We professionals who participated appreciated the presentation, which was very basic, then explaining the NDCs, then going on to the SDGs and explaining how they are linked. Patricia Sanzana, coordinator of the Technical Committee, Biobio region, Chilean Ministry of Agriculture. 

“It was very positive for me to realise the problems that are happening, but at the same time that responsibilities are also being taken". Italo Prudent, coordinator of the Technical Committee, Tarapacá region, Chilean Ministry of Agriculture. 

The IPCC and agriculture

On 9 August 2021, during the days of the course, the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will be published, which diagnoses that climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying. The report reaffirms the importance of generating new capacities and promoting collaboration between countries to face this challenge from all sides, including the agricultural sector.

Anthropogenic climate change presents severe challenges for agriculture in the region. An increase of 0.5°C in average temperature has clearly perceptible effects on climate behaviour, such as increased rainfall, which will make farmland more vulnerable to flooding. This, together with the increase in temperature, will lead to more intense and more frequent droughts, among other adverse effects on the agricultural sector.

This new IPCC report calls for accelerated action and implementation of public policies to achieve the goals set forth in the Paris Agreement. This requires decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions, for which the role of agriculture will be decisive.

The European Union and climate action

The European Union (EU) is a key partner in climate action and in connecting the dots between the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, in support of achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Along these lines, Chile agreed to work jointly with the EU in the preparation and organisation of COP 25.

For the EU, developing a work stream exclusively targeted at the agri-food sector is crucial, as it accounts for almost one third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Moreover, agri-food 

This is why the EU has developed a specific strategy for this sector, called 'Farm to Fork', which aims to make food production more environmentally friendly and can also:

• help mitigate climate change and adaptation to its impacts
• reverse the loss of biodiversity
• guarantee food security, nutrition and public health, ensuring that everyone has access to sufficient, nutritious and sustainable foods.

To achieve this, through this strategy the EU proposes, among other actions, reducing the use of pesticides and antimicrobials by 50%, reducing nutrient losses and fertiliser use, and increasing the agricultural area devoted to organic farming by 25%, all by 2030. Accelerating the transition to a sustainable agri-food system should also bring new opportunities for the whole value chain, both within and outside the EU, by fostering the use of new technologies, increased competitiveness in supply chains and strengthening the demand for sustainable and fair trade foods.

This strategy is at the heart of the European Green Pact, which aims to put Europe on the path of transformation towards a climate-neutral society. The Green Pact sets the roadmap for achieving climate neutrality by 2050, a goal shared by the European Union and the Chilean government.

The EU has also proposed to reduce its emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Achieving both targets will require a transformation of society and the economy as a whole, including the agri-food sector, so that it is profitable, fair and socially balanced.

About PLACA

The launch of the Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture of Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA) took place on 05 December 2019, in the framework of COP25 to carry forward capacity building and promote climate action in the agricultural sector. To date, the Platform has the support of the ministers of agriculture of 10 countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

The course

The virtual course "Conceptual basis of the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the agri-food sector in Latin America" is delivered virtually through the EUROCLIMA+ Academy, the virtual platform of the Resilient Food Production sector.

The content is divided into six thematic modules, one per week, on the reference framework of the Paris Agreement and the NDCs, adaptation and mitigation strategies, climate finance and the enhanced transparency framework. The materials include videos, readings and case studies, and students have the possibility to consult in forums. In addition, audiovisual material and complementary readings are provided.

This edition of the course, 100% self-study, is a second version of the course on the reference framework for NDC implementation provided by the Technical Assistance of the EUROCLIMA+ programme in the Resilient Food Production sector, run by Expertise France, based on the training materials developed by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). Click here to view the results of the first edition.

 About EUROCLIMA+

The implementation of EUROCLIMA+, funded by the European Union, and co-financed by the German federal government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the governments of France and Spain through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, is carried out according to the "Spirit of Team Europe" under the synergistic work of seven agencies: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the French Development Agency (AFD), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Expertise France (EF), the International and Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP), and the UN Environment Programme.

More information

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