G20 urged to invest in planet for healthy food
NAPLES: The Director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, called on G20 Environment Ministers to step up joint efforts, increase investment and work more closely with FAO for game-changing impacts on the planet.
Qu made the call at the G20 Ministerial Meeting on the Environment, which discussed solutions for nature and sustainability — from combating climate change to building sustainable cities.
“Today, humanity faces a triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate crisis and the impact of the pandemic,” said the Director-general.
“To have healthy food, we need a healthy environment,” stressed Qu in view of the global challenge of having to meet a growing demand for food and other agricultural products whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as to conserve biodiversity, sustainably manage natural resources, including water, and protect and restore ecosystems.
Qu made a strong case for increasing water use efficiency and fostering sustainable water management to address water scarcity and improve water and food quality.
The lives of over a billion people are severely constrained by water scarcity or shortages; almost a billion hectares of rain-fed cropland and pastureland are severely affected by recurring drought; and over 60 percent of irrigated cropland are under high to very high water stress.
These water-related challenges could be addressed, argued Qu, with the help of digital innovation, more effective governance mechanisms, and investments. The FAO DirectorGeneral also emphasized the need for stepping up biodiversity-friendly approaches, including more investments in related actions.
“Current levels of investment are highly insufficient,” said the FAO Director-general.
Yet, if we could fully fund the goal to restore degraded land, the target of halting deforestation could be achieved by 2030, added Qu.
The benefits of these would be significant.
For example, reversing deforestation will help mitigate against climate change and reduce the risk of future zoonotic spill-overs. Reversing biodiversity loss and land degradation can reap $1.4 trillion per year.
“We need to repurpose agricultural subsidies with harmful effects on our climate and biodiversity. We need to invest in the long-term Research & Development to create the innovation and technologies required for producing more with less emissions and within our environmental boundaries,” urged Qu.
Agricultural sectors offer key solutions to the biodiversity and climate crises.