How countries Plan to Address Agricultural Adaptation and Mitigation

In its founding documents, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) seeks the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to “ensure[s] that food production is not threatened” (UNFCCC 1992. Article 2). In addition, agriculture is listed among the sectors falling within the obligation of Parties to develop mitigation plans and measures (UNFCCC 1992. Article 4.1(c)). However, agriculture has historically been excluded from the UNFCCC negotiations (Kalfagianni and Duyck 2015). There was a breakthrough at COP17 in Durban (2011) when agriculture was referred to the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) for an eventual decision on agriculture. But progress thereafter remained slow, with four agricultural topics identified for discussion in 2015 and 2016.