The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
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If we do not transform food systems it will be impossible to sustainably use our land and natural resources. Around 40% of all habitable land is used to produce food. This has come at the expense of nature, causing 80% of deforestation and 70% of biodiversity loss on land. Soil degradation has reduced the productivity of nearly a quarter of the global land surface, affected the well-being of about 3.2 billion people and cost about 10% of annual global gross domestic product in lost ecosystem services. But food systems can be transformed from being the primary cause of degradation to the principle catalyst in restoration and recovery for a nature-positive future.
Following limited progress at CBD COP16 in Cali and stagnation at UNFCCC COP29 in Baku, the dual track of formal negotiations and a parallel action agenda at UNCCD COP16, the third of the three Rio COPs to take place in just two months in 2024, delivered positive outcomes for food and agriculture. This generates much needed momentum for 2025 and a critical period for planet, places, people and prosperity.
Grasslands, savannahs and rangelands (the biomes which produce 60% of all food) were everywhere in Riyadh. Building on the foundations laid at COP15 (in Cote D'Ivoire in 2022) there were around 30 side events, many organised by WWF and our partners. In addition to greater visibility, there were several key outcomes, most notably a formal decision on rangelands and pastoralists was agreed for the first time at a Rio Convention COP, with Parties agreeing to prioritise policies and investments for the sustainable management of rangelands and to support pastoralists. Alongside this, the Global Coalition on Rangelands, a member-state driven initiative to pave the way to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists and the COP 17 presidency program in Mongolia in 2026, was launched and plans were also announced to develop a UNCCD Flagship Initiative on rangeland and grasslands
This UNCCD COP 16 marked the first official Agri-food System Day, held on World Soil Day to emphasize the importance of healthy soils for nature-positive food systems. Notably, WWF’s Food & Agriculture Practice had previously organized the first “unofficial” Agri-Food Day at COP 15 in Abidjan, which was widely regarded as a significant success and major step to Agri-Food days at COPs.
On Agri-food Systems Day the Saudi Presidency launched the Riyadh Action Agenda (RAA) a global platform aimed to mobilise state and non-state actors to conserve and restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030. The RAA focuses on three Action Areas: Conserve and restore land; Enhance drought resilience through water systems resilience; and crtiically, to Promote sustainable, resilient and inclusive agri-food systems. WWF is proud to have helped develop the RAA and will closely monitor its implementation process (next steps are in discussion). More than $12 billion was pledged to address desertification, land degradation and drought worldwide, especially in the most vulnerable countries, through cooperation and development projects. The United States and several partner countries and organizations have announced total investments of nearly $70 million to advance the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS). The initiative aims to build resilient food systems based on diverse, nutritious, climate-adapted crops grown in healthy soils.To harness the momentum generated at UNCCD COP16, it is necessary for stakeholders all across food systems to further align the agendas on biodiversity loss, climate change and land degradation.
ALIGNING THE RIO CONVENTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION
WWF has identified four key actions which international bodies, national policymakers and other stakeholders across food systems, including the private sector, investors and financiers and NGOs, should prioritize at the upcoming COPs:
1. ELEVATE FOOD SYSTEMS AS A PRIORITY
Integrate food and agriculture into national plans (NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs, LDNs) and collective agreements
2. USE FOOD SYSTEMS AS AN ENTRY-POINT FOR SYNERGIES
Prioritize and promote solutions with multiple benefits e.g. agroecology
3. SCALE UP FINANCE FOR FOOD SYSTEMS Increase total and proportional amount of finance related to food systems, and ensure it reaches actors implementing solutions on the ground and in the water
4. MULTISTAKEHOLDER, EQUITABLE APPROACH
Ensure all stakeholders are part of decision-making processes, leveraging local and traditional knowledge, and increasing representation for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, women, youth and other under-represented groups
PRIORITISING THE CONSERVATION OF GRASSLANDS, SAVANNAHS AND RANGELANDS
UNCCD began with a focus on desertification and arid lands. In the last 30 years, this remit has expanded, and the Convention now presents itself as a “global voice for land”. Grassland, savannah and rangeland conservation aligns with both the original and evolved remits and increased action is needed to support the proposed UNCCD Rangelands Flagship Initiative, mandate the UNCCD to collabore with partners in the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, and to prioritise investment in restoring these ecosystems.
Scroll through the table below to see all the events in which we are participating
WWF EVENTS AT COP16
The UNCCD defines land degradation neutrality (LDN) as "a state whereby the amount and quality of resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhave food security remains stable or increases." Over 100 countries have set LDN targets, to avoid, reduce and reverse land degradation at scale, with one billion hectares promised to be restored through quantitiative commitments under the Rio Conventions and the Bonn Challenge. But this is only possible if we transform the way we produce food - by tackling supply-side issues, changing food production practices, but also demand-side drivers like consumption and food loss and waste.
At the same time, restoring arable and pasture land is critical to food security. Our ability to produce healthy and nutritious food declines when land is degraded. We are pushing for the stronger inclusion of food systems in LDN targets, for the benefit of people and nature, but also for improved alignment across LDN targets, the Global Biodiversity Framework and Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement. Ecosystem restoration is key to delivering all these goals, with food systems an essential component for sustianable land use.