Today, Climate Bonds Initiative, through the Transitions Programme, launches the Agri-Food Principles and Hallmarks at the SIF in partnership with SynTao Green Finance. Climate Bonds is building consensus with key stakeholders on 1.5°C and climate resilient, agri-food transition pathways rooted in science and consistent with other food system transition outcomes.
Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds shared his views during SIF, “Globally, emissions from land use, agriculture and deforestation are by far the biggest component of greenhouse gas emissions that we have to address. This needs to be our number one priority.”
“We to have reduce emissions and also prepare for resilience against climactic impacts where patterns are fast changing.”
“That's why the SIF workshop is so important. That's why the work we are taking forward for the future will be is so critical to face the challenges of climate change and to create a world economy, that we would want our children to live, prosper and survive in!”
Agri-Food Principles
The Agri-food principles and hallmarks are the outcome of an in-depth critical appraisal of existing agri-food transition finance tools and introduce the sector-neutral Credible Transition Principles (2020) and Hallmarks for Transforming Companies (2022) developed by Climate Bonds. These Principles and Hallmarks were interpreted from an agri-food perspective, providing real-world examples of their application and a careful examination of existing frameworks and pathways for agri-food transition to explore how they address decarbonisation and other food system goals.
The Agri-Food Principles and Hallmark paper is available now in English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Climate Bond's Agri-Food Systems Transitions programme aims to accelerate the flow of finance to support the transition of agri-food systems toward net-zero, resilient, and sustainable systems. The overarching goal is to mobilise global capital to finance the transition and ensure deforestation and conversion-free agri-food production.
Agri-food systems are responsible for 31% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions driving nearly 90% of global deforestation annually. Agriculture uses, on average, 70% of freshwater withdrawals, creating enormous challenges in water-scarce countries. Only 55% of the world's agricultural production (calories) goes towards feeding people directly; the rest are fed to livestock (36%) or turned into biofuels and industrial products (9%). Of the food produced, as much as 31% is lost or wasted along the supply chain: around 14% is lost from production before reaching the retail level, and a further 17% is wasted in households, catering, and retail.
Sustainable Investment Forum (SIF)
SIF event is a global network that promotes responsible capital flow. Syntao Green Finance initiated SIF in China in 2012. On this 10th anniversary of the China SIF, Climate Bonds Initiative and SynTao Green Finance are co-hosting a seminar tagged "Finance for Sustainable Agriculture: Opportunities, Pathways and Actions" on the 7th December 2022.
The seminar focuses on the role of green and transformative finance and discussing prospects of opportunities, transition pathways and practical experiences of financial institutions entities in investing and financing green development and transition in agriculture.
Speakers at the webinar include Sean Kidney, CEO and Co-founder of Climate Bonds Initiative; GUO Peiyuan, Chairman of China Sustainable Investment Forum; CHEN Ying, Director of Cereals and Oils Department, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Livestock, XIE Wenhong, Head of China, Climate Bonds Initiative and FU Xiaotian, Director, Food and Natural Resources Program, WRI China amongst many others
