A coalition of global non-profit organizations and members of the Food & Climate Action Group has called on world leaders attending COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to reform food and agricultural policies.
At last year’s UN Climate Conference (COP28), world leaders signed an agreement to transition away from fossil fuels. They are now being urged to commit to a “just transition away from meat and dairy overconsumption”, either at this year’s event or next year’s COP30.
Leaders of high-income countries have been called on to give public support to low-carbon foods such as vegetables in order to reduce emissions and the use of land and water. Besides aligning with climate targets, the organizations say that such policies would improve public health and reduce spending on healthcare.
High and upper-middle-income countries have been urged to redirect subsidies away from high-emission animal products, while using public funds to support a just transition for farmers. The coalition also recommends pricing and taxation policies targeted at meat processors to incentivize a shift toward plant-based products, adding that revenues raised through taxation could be used to compensate the populations most affected by climate change.
“Prioritizing plant-based is critical”
Historically, there has been little emphasis on food system reform at the COP summits, but last year’s event made history by making two-thirds of the food served meat-free. The decision followed campaigning from youth group YOUNGO (the Youth and Children constituency of the UNFCCC) and its Food@COP campaign, supported by food awareness organization ProVeg International.
Since 2022, the summits have also featured pavilions on the subject of food system reform.
“Reforming agricultural practices, subsidies, and food taxes and prioritizing plant-based food consumption are critical to meeting the Paris Agreement targets,” said Akshath Kaimal, who leads the coalition’s finance subgroup and works at TAPP Coalition.
“Current food systems disproportionately harm Indigenous communities and vulnerable groups in the Global South, where climate impacts are most severe. Our COP29 Declaration, signed by 4 nation states and 100+ NGOs, has urged OECD countries and China to tax meat or start GHG-emission pricing (agri-ETS) to reduce emissions and cofinance the Loss & Damage Fund with (part of the) tax revenues.”
