![COP28: US-UAE climate-friendly farming effort grows to $17 billion](https://i-invdn-com.investing.com/trkd-images/LYNXMPEJB70F6_L.jpg)
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: People on horses journey previous a soy plantation affected by a protracted drought that lastly ended this month by the arrival of rain, is pictured in a farm in 25 de Mayo, within the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina January 24, 2022. REUTERS/Agustin Mar
By Leah Douglas and Simon Jessop
(Reuters) – Funding for a joint effort by the United States and United Arab Emirates to advance climate-friendly farming all over the world has grown to greater than $17 billion, the international locations introduced on Friday on the COP28 local weather summit in Dubai.
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) was launched in 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow and its funding comes from governments, firms, and non-governmental organizations.
Globally, meals and farming contribute a couple of third of anthropogenic greenhouse fuel emissions, in response to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Nearly 80 initiatives have been introduced below the AIM for Climate initiative since 2021, with targets to develop agricultural analysis, implement sustainable farming practices, and scale back methane emissions.
“This partnership embodies our shared commitment to accelerating investments in transformative food systems and climate-smart agricultural innovations,” mentioned Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a press release.
Funding for the trouble has grown from $13 billion in May, when the U.S. and UAE co-hosted an AIM for Climate summit in Washington, and from $8 billion at COP27.
The new complete contains $12 billion from governments and $5 billion from non-government events resembling firms and humanitarian organizations, mentioned an AIM for Climate spokesperson.
The 27 new initiatives introduced at COP28 vary in measurement from $500 million to $150,000.
Partners in one of many largest initiatives, geared toward increasing regenerative agriculture, embrace Bunge (NYSE:), Google (NASDAQ:), The Nature Conservancy and the Brazilian state of Para. Regenerative agriculture usually refers to practices like decreased tillage of cropland and decrease pesticide use.
For the primary time, agriculture is a significant focus at this yr’s local weather summit, with a full day on Dec. 10 devoted to meals and farming matters.
“We are witnessing tremendous progress in transforming the global food and agricultural systems at COP28,” mentioned UAE Minister for Climate and the Environment Mariam Almheiri in a press release.
Advocacy teams need the nations and corporations in attendance to pledge to deal with agricultural methane emissions specifically, most of which is from livestock manufacturing.
(This story has been corrected to make clear the connection between the companions in paragraph 9)