Transcript Summary presentation

Food systems for a sustainable future:
Interlinkages between biodiversity and agriculture
The Eighth Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity
Trondheim, Norway, 31 May – 3 June 2016
The conference attracted 300
participants from 95 countries
Invitees included experts from
biodiversity and agriculture
The conference focused on four
aspects of interlinkages between
biodiversity and agriculture:
o imperatives and implications
o policies and institutions
o planning for a changing climate
o changing practices
The conference programme encouraged
participation through:
o plenary presentation and discussion
o moderated panel discussion
o roundtable discussions
o communal meals and social events
Conference findings are
set out in the summary
report of co-chairs, Tone
Solhaug and Nina Vik
The report was prepared
with support from a
‘Friends of the Co-Chairs’
group, and was offered
to participants for review
during the final session
of the conference.
SETTING THE SCENE
Future food security is one of the big issues of our time, and one
with multiple dimensions given the clear relevance of the:
o 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
…and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals
o Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020
…and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets
o Paris Agreement on climate change
SETTING THE SCENE
Key facts suggest that change is inevitable:
o by 2030 world population will be 8.5 billion
o by 2030 food demand will have increased by 50%
o today 795 million people are under-nourished
o around a third of food produced is lost or wasted
But there are associated environmental concerns:
o globally 33% of our soils are degraded
o 40% of bee species are at risk of extinction
o drivers linked to agriculture account for 70% of projected
biodiversity loss
o 11% of GHG emissions are currently agriculture-related
In roundtable discussions participants were invited to identify
three key elements of sustainable agriculture - the word cloud
below illustrates the received responses:
PRESENTATIONS TO THE CONFERENCE DREW ON MANY
SIGNIFICANT REVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS
UNDERSTANDING THE INTERLINKAGES BETWEEN AGRICULTURE
AND BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IS CRUCIAL
Biodiversity and ecosystem services are essential in supporting
agriculture in many ways and at all levels, but are under threat
o Soils are critical to production of food
…but most soils are in only fair, poor or very poor condition
o Animal pollinators play a vital role in food production
…but many pollinator species are threatened and in decline
o Genetic diversity provides the basis for agricultural production
…but many animal breeds and plant varieties are under threat
UNDERSTANDING THE INTERLINKAGES BETWEEN AGRICULTURE
AND BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IS CRUCIAL
Understanding these interlinkages provides opportunities for
developing a common agenda
o Many examples exist of agricultural practices that take good
account of the many values of biodiversity and ecosystem services
o Existing cases also demonstrate that fairly small shifts in practice
can lead to benefits for both agriculture and biodiversity
o Understanding the interlinkages requires a clearer knowledge of
specific products, production systems and scales
o Integrated assessment is needed to make contributions of
biodiversity and ecosystem services to agriculture more visible
INTERLINKAGES BETWEEN BIODIVERSITY, AGRICULTURE AND
CLIMATE CHANGE ALSO NEED TO BE CONSIDERED
o Climate change impacts on agriculture are already apparent
through changing crop distribution and weather impacts
o Scenarios and models can
aid understanding of
interlinkages, including
potential implications of
adaptation and mitigation
options
o At the local level, conserving
and using local varieties and
land races can support
adaptation to climate
change
INTERLINKAGES COMPLEX, BUT UNLESS THEY ARE UNDERSTOOD IT
WILL BE DIFFICULT TO BRING ABOUT EFFECTIVE CHANGE
o A massive amount of food
produced is lost or wasted
along the production and
consumption chain
o It is feasible to change
practices so that intensive
and industrial agriculture
uses a more agroecological
approach
o Agricultural extension services that integrate understanding of
interlinkages can provide effective support for change
THERE ARE PRACTICAL EXAMPLES OF HOW INTERLINKAGES
BETWEEN BIODIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURE CAN BE EFFECTED
o Integrated production systems
can deliver intensification at
scales resulting in positive
biodiversity outcomes
o Policy coherence is essential for
driving positive change
o Farmers will make practical
changes, but need support
through advice and innovation
o Private sector engagement is needed for transformative change
in global food systems, and there are real opportunities for
businesses, governments and people to work together
THIS REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING OF TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN
THE AGENDAS AND CONCERNS OF DIFFERENT SECTORS
Some valuable tools for supporting biodiversity mainstreaming
and agricultural production include:
o a systematic approach to spatial planning
o access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing
o full engagement of all relevant stakeholders
o the appropriate and effective use of incentive measures
o accounting systems that incorporate a full understanding
of the many values of biodiversity and ecosystem services
In roundtable discussions participants considered options to
enhance the work of a range of intergovernmental processes so
as to facilitate integration of biodiversity considerations into
sustainable agriculture – options and the extent to which they
were promoted are illustrated in the world cloud below:
The Eighth Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity:
o Heard about concerns from both the agriculture and
biodiversity communities, but also saw examples of real
opportunities for increased cooperation
o Compiled findings into a conference co-chairs’ summary
report for broader communication, while also making the
full presentations available online
o Identified opportunities for communicating key messages
into intergovernmental processes, including through the
meetings in 2016 of the Convention on Biological
Diversity and the FAO Committee on Agriculture
Conference website: www.trondheimconference.org
IISD/ENB coverage: www.iisd.ca/biodiv/tcb/2016
The Eighth Trondheim Conference was organized with the support of:
All photographs courtesy of Norwegian Environment Agency
Photographers: Elin Fosshaug Olsø and Morten Ekker