Climate Policy Initiative’s Post

🌱 How are rural credit subsidies fueling deforestation? I often emphasize how promoting sustainability in agriculture is essential to reduce environmental and climate risks, enhancing Brazil's global leadership in sustainable food production. Agricultural financing is a key piece of this puzzle. While small farmers who produce food and low-impact or regenerative agricultural systems, like those we implement on our farm, struggle to access credit, Brazilian agricultural financing has been fueling deforestation. The latest Climate Policy Initiative report, "Credit Where It’s Due," confirms this. Delving into the critical link between financial subsidies and deforestation in Brazil, it reveals that 31% of properties that deforested from 2020-2022 accessed subsidized rural credit, highlighting a policy misalignment with environmental goals. Notably, larger properties with credit subsidies account for a significant portion of deforestation. This underscores the need for stringent land use monitoring and credit policies aligned with sustainable practices. Read the full report bellow for detailed insights.

According to a recent study and effort by Tom Brennan, Nicolas Denis, Nelson Ferreira, Amandla Ooko-Ombaka, Pradeep Prabhala, and Stephanie Stefanski, representing views from #McKinsey & Company for Agriculture Practice we could see the need for actions in increasing land-use efficiency, growing demand for food, fuel, and natural capital may require additional land equivalent to the total cropland by 2030. Even if at the EU level where we could say that balance is better than LatAM or Africa, we could still see that the lines for actions are quite clear and we need additional cropland of at least 70 to 80 Mha to satisfy our needs for food, fuel, and nature and meet #SDG objectives but also an intensified change in agricultural practices identified in 10 actions to help strike the land-use balance: Actions for #Agriculture and food actors 1. Restore degraded land through public-private partnerships; 2. Scale up resilient agriculture practices; 3. Expand access and adoption of yield-boosting inputs; 4. Invest in hybrid land-use approaches; 5. Reduce food and production waste; Actions for #fuel actors 6. Provide incentives for at-scale deployment of energy and power crops; 7. Support next-horizon technologies to meet the demand for sustainable fuels and materials; Actions for #nature actors 8. Secure private sector commitments to avoid deforestation; 9. Conserve land in hot spots that have high carbon storage or biodiversity potential; 10. Provide incentives for the long-term conversion of degraded land to forest cover;

Soil is not just dirt; it's a living, breathing ecosystem teeming with life. From microscopic bacteria to earthworms, a diverse community of organisms works together to create a thriving environment for plants to grow. Healthy soil is the foundation of sustainable agriculture, providing us with the food we eat. World Soil Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of soil in the agricultural sector. Looking at the SIZA Environmental Standard, a soil management plan must be implemented to ensure the sustainable use and conservation of agricultural soil. The goal of the management plan is to assist South African growers with an approach to measuring and reporting against sustainability criteria, specifically those that are relevant to on-farm activities within the South African context. The SIZA Environmental Standard has been developed for fresh produce industries and is focused on addressing environmental risks at the farm level (on the land) and post-production level (packhouses). For more information on the SIZA Environmental Standard, please contact Victor Mouton, victor@siza.co.za or contact our SIZA office +27 (0) 21 852 8184 #SIZA #soilday #EnvironmentalStandard #agriculture #healthysoil

Tackling Australia's Soil Health Challenge with Innovative Lignite-based Solutions Australia's nutrient-poor and heavily weathered soils face significant challenges due to over-reliance on fertilisers and extensive land clearing. These practices have led to severe issues like erosion, salinity, and acidity. Recognising the critical importance of soil health to food security, the Australian government introduced a comprehensive soil improvement plan to promote best practices for sustainable land management. We have partnered with ESG Agriculture to support this mission by developing a granulated lignite-urea product – enabled by our COLDry process – that benefits farmers and the environment. Benefits of a granulated lignite-urea product: 🔄 Slow-Release Nutrients: Ensures a consistent supply of nutrients over time, promoting steady plant growth. 🌿 Lower Nitrogen Emissions: Dramatically reduced nitrogen emissions, improving environmental health. 📉 Reduced Urea Usage: Requires less urea for the same efficacy. 🌾 Enhanced Long-Term Soil Health: Improves soil structure and fertility, creating long-term carbon stores and supporting sustainable farming practices. By enabling lignite use in agricultural applications, COLDry allows this vast resource to pivot away from high-emission power generation to soil health and food security. Join us in embracing these innovative solutions to ensure a more sustainable and productive future for farming. #SustainableFarming #AgricultureInnovation #SoilHealth https://lnkd.in/g8kjhzCw

I recently returned from Brazil 🇧🇷 , where I couldn't help but ponder the age-old question: does mechanisation benefit us more than traditional methods? 🤔 Or is it solely for commercial gain? 💰 As we strive for efficiency and success, we must also consider the impact on land and the people completely reliant on the land. Achieving a balance is key. #foodforthought #sustainability #agriculture #businesstransformation

🐟 Sustainably feeding the world’s global populations poses a unique opportunity for the blue economy 🐟 It is projected that food demand will increase by over 50% by 2050 as the global population grows to about 9.7 billion. Diversifying food production to include less-carbon intensive protein sources through fisheries and aquaculture can reduce increasing pressures on agricultural lands and water supplies. We were delighted to be joined by Matthew Whittle, General Manager of Sustainability at Huon, at the recent Parliamentary Briefing on Australia’s sustainable ocean economy. Matthew spoke to the economic and employment opportunities presented by the aquaculture industry for regional communities in Australia currently in economic transition.   “We've got a great opportunity to produce more jobs in the regional areas where we operate, but importantly, produce one of the lowest carbon footprint proteins that we can make to help feed the nation and the world, whilst also combating climate change” Matthew also highlighted the immense value of partnerships between the offshore aquaculture industry, research scientists and other ocean users such as the renewable energy industry, to deliver innovations to further decarbonise the seafood sector. He called for greater investment support for emerging technologies, as well as clear regulatory guidance and efficient processes that can support investment certainty, and industry growth and innovation whilst maintaining environmental sustainability. #fortheOcean UN Ocean Decade #auspol #oceaneconomy #blueeconomy #bluejobs

How to make the green transition finally work in agriculture may be the biggest puzzle in the African climate sector. Most innovators and funders live in cities. But most of the impact they – you – seek is focused on the countryside. The solution-makers are often far from the biggest problems. Nowhere is that truer than in sustainable agriculture. That’s only one reason for the sector’s slow progress. There are many. And a lot of it comes down to size. Why is transforming African agriculture, which involves half the continent's population, not going faster? Have you ever tried turning an oil tanker? For the how, see the link in the comments below.

Sustainable agricultural practices are the key to rebuilding The South African economy today while preserving the land for future generations.

Exciting News! FAO has just released its "Business Handbook on Deforestation and Due Diligence in Agricultural Supply Chains." #Deforestation not only affects forests but also has broader impacts on ecosystems, rainfall patterns, and local communities. By following the OECD-FAO Guidance, companies can proactively identify and mitigate these risks. This handbook, a collaboration between OECD - OCDE and FAO, is a significant step toward more sustainable agricultural practices, contributing to a climate resilient future. 🌍🌲 Read more: https://bit.ly/3F7fzjq #SustainableAgriculture #Deforestation #SupplyChain #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #ClimateResilience #SDG2 #SDG7 #EndEnergyPovertyFaster

On the International Day of Forests, I'm happy to share an article I drafted for the Tropical Forest Alliance that highlights the significance of the Cerrado - the largest biome in South America after the Amazon and the most biodiverse savanna in the world. Its trees, grasses and soils lock away one-sixth of all Brazil's stored carbon, but it is under great threat from industrialised agriculture. This article and the report on which it is based, which I also edited, explain how to save this precious ecosystem in a way that balances environmental protection with economic production. https://lnkd.in/esHYk_jY