COP 26: land protection and restoration at the center of the debates.

• 45 governments pledge to act and invest urgently to protect nature and switch to more sustainable modes of agriculture
• 95 leading companies from various sectors pledge to be “Nature Positive”, agreeing to work to halt and reverse the decline of nature by 2030
• Today marks the end of the first week of COP26, with negotiations accelerating

Governments and businesses joined with farmers and local communities during COP 26, securing new agreements to protect nature and accelerate the shift to sustainable agriculture and land use practices by empowering them. more attractive, accessible and affordable than unsustainable alternatives.

Along with the events marking Nature and Land Use Day, today marks the end of the first week of COP26, with negotiations accelerating and work focused on the second week.

Twenty-six countries made new commitments to change their agricultural policies to become more sustainable and less polluting, and to invest in the science needed for sustainable agriculture and to protect the food supply from climate change, set out in two "Action programs" . All continents were represented, with countries such as India, Colombia, Vietnam, Germany, Ghana and Australia.

Here are examples of new national commitments aligned with this program:

• Brazil plans to expand its ABC + low-carbon agricultural program to 72 million hectares, which will save 1 billion tonnes of emissions by 2030
• Germany plans to reduce emissions from land use by 25 million tonnes by 2030
• UK goal is to engage 75% of farmers in low carbon practices by 2030

The UK also announced £ 500million in funding to support the implementation of the Forests, Agriculture and Commodities Roadmap (FACT) launched at the World Summit on leaders earlier this week, in which 28 countries work together to protect forests while promoting development and trade. An additional £ 65million will support a 'just rural transition' to help developing countries reorient their policies and practices towards more sustainable agriculture and food production.

The commitments made today by countries will contribute to the implementation of the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use, which is now endorsed by 134 countries covering 91% of the world's forests. The Declaration aims to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

The p re president of COP26, Alok Sharma, ad é é Clar:

“If we are to limit global warming and maintain the 1.5 ° C target, then the world must use the land sustainably and put the protection and restoration of nature at the heart of everything we do.

The commitments made today show that nature and land use are recognized as essential to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and will help address the dual crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss.

In the meantime, as we look to the second week COP negotiations, I urge all parties to come to the table with constructive compromises and the necessary ambitions. "

The World Bank will commit to spending $ 25 billion in climate finance each year through 2025 as part of its Climate Action Plan, with a focus on agriculture and food systems.

In a show of similar commitment from the private sector, nearly 100 high-profile companies operating in various industries have committed to becoming “Nature Positive” . The commitments include supermarkets pledging to reduce their environmental impact on the climate and natural losses and fashion brands ensuring the traceability of their materials.

Representatives of indigenous and local communities will participate in events throughout Nature Day. As custodians of 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity, indigenous peoples are leaders in how to develop natural, resilient and effective solutions to climate change.

Nature Day also follows the announcement on November 5, during Oceans Day of Action, of more than ten new countries joining the “30by30” goal to protect 30 % of the world's oceans by 2030. These are Bahrain, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Samoa, Tonga, Gambia and Georgia. The goal is now supported by more than 100 countries.

• The 45 countries pledging to act and invest urgently to protect nature and shift to more sustainable modes of agriculture include 26 countries that support either the Political Action Program for the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture, or the Global Action Program for Innovation in Agriculture, as well as the 28 countries participating in the Dialogue on Forests, Agriculture and Commodities Trade (FACT) (some countries participating in both).
• Support for the Political Action Program for the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture and the Global Program of Action for Innovation in Agriculture: Australia, Uganda, Madagascar, India, Tanzania, Vietnam, Nigeria, Lesotho, Laos, Indonesia , Guinea, Ghana, Germany, Philippines, Ethiopia, United Kingdom, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates.
• The FACT roadmap supports states: Belgium, Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, France, Gabon, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Congo, Republic of Korea, Uruguay, United States, European Commission.

D e Declaration of Glasgow leaders on Choice ê ts and land use

• Launched on November 2, 134 countries covering 91% of the world's forests (including Brazil, China, Russia and Indonesia) have now endorsed the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use, s '' committing to halt and reverse forest loss and degradation by 2030.

The full set of commitments and actions will also include:

R e form and Agricultural Innovation:

• A new global initiative launched to reach 100 million farmers at the center of transforming food systems with net zero emissions and positive innovations for nature by 2030 through a multi-stakeholder platform organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF ) involving farmers' organizations, civil society, businesses and other partners.
• The Political Action Program for the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture defines the paths and actions that countries can take to reorient public policies and support for food and agriculture, to achieve these results and enable a just rural transition¹. It also defines actions and possibilities for other stakeholders (international organizations, food producers, financial entities, researchers, civil society and others) to channel their expertise, knowledge and resources in support of this program. .
• New UK funding of £ 38.5million over 2 years to CGIAR, the world's leading agricultural science and innovation organization, which will create and scale new crops and technologies with climate impact, natural, health, gender and economic. The CGIAR was previously called the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. The funding will support the development and deployment of:
  • Crop varieties that are climate resilient (more resistant to heat, drought and floods) and more nutritious (with high levels of essential micronutrients).
  • Agricultural practices that are more productive, sustainable and resilient to climate change;
  • New varieties of livestock, diagnostics and management practices, which reduce the risks faced by pastoralists and ranchers.
  • Foresight and trade-off tools for risk management and resilience to major emerging threats to the food system, including antimicrobial resistance and emerging zoonoses.
  • Evidence on better policies to help poor farmers use new technologies to access markets, reduce risks and increase incomes.
• A new UK initiative to transform climate resilient food systems through research and innovation. The Gilbert Initiative will coordinate investments in evidence generation, technology development and delivery to support a food system that by 2030 will feed 9 billion people with nutritious and safe food; uses environmental resources in a sustainable manner; improves resilience and adaptation to climate change; and generates inclusive growth and jobs.

Sustainable production and consumption:

• Sainsbury's, on behalf of Britain's Big 5 Supermarkets, will pledge to halve the environmental impact of the UK's average shopping basket by 2030 through a new partnership with WWF called 'Basket Measures' - the objective is to transform the food and agricultural system; transforming him from a climate change accelerator into a nature hero by reducing negative impacts and stimulating regenerative agriculture to restore nature. It will focus on seven key themes, climate change, deforestation, sustainable agriculture, sustainable diets, the sea, waste and packaging.

Protection oc é years:

• The UK has announced a £ 6million investment in the World Bank's PROBLUE through its Blue Planet Fund, supporting the development of the blue economy to act as a key driver of growth in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Coastal Countries.
• The Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, a multisectoral collaboration designed to boost investment in coastal natural capital by developing breakthrough financial products that encourage blended finance and private investment, yesterday hosted a panel discussion that featured seen commitments towards the partnership's goal of obtaining at least $ 20 million.