23 / 26
%URZQ &R
$QQXDO )RFXV 5HSRUW
23
7KH WKLUG WKLQJ WKDW KDV FKDQJHG LV D VKLIW LQ
thinking from institutional investors which, if
LW JDWKHUV SDFH FRXOG ZHOO KDYH D VLJQLÀFDQW
impact on the investment landscape going
IRUZDUG $W WKH 81 FRQIHUHQFH LQ 1HZ <RUN LQ
6HSWHPEHU
D FRDOLWLRQ RI LQVWLWXWLRQDO
investors committed to decarbonizing
LQYHVWPHQWV ZRUWK ELOOLRQ E\ 'HFHPEHU
2015 and disclosing the carbon footprint
RI LQYHVWPHQWV ZRUWK ÀYH WLPHV WKDW PXFK
7KUHH PDMRU SHQVLRQ IXQGV DQQRXQFHG WKH\
would accelerate their investments in low
carbon investments across asset classes by
FLUFD ELOOLRQ E\
7KH UHDVRQ WKLV LV
VLJQLÀFDQW LV EHFDXVH LW VLJQDOV D VKLIW LQ KRZ
institutional investors are viewing the climate/
sustainability narrative. Previously “clean
energy” has been viewed as an investment
opportunity but the announcements in
6HSWHPEHU VLJQDO D VKLIW LQ SHUVSHFWLYH VR
that as well as opportunity, climate change
may also now be an investment risk that
needs addressing through the divestment of
IRVVLO IXHO FRPSDQLHV 7KLV ZDV XQGHUOLQHG
ZKHQ 6ZHGLVK 3HQVLRQ IXQG $3 DQQRXQFHG
they were cutting 12 coal companies and
HLJKW RLO DQG JDV SURGXFWLRQ ÀUPV IURP WKHLU
SRUWIROLR 6WDQIRUG 8QLYHUVLW\·V
ELOOLRQ
endowment announced in May that they were
selling out of fossil fuel related companies
ZKLOH WKH
PLOOLRQ 5RFNHUIHOOHU
foundation also announced its intention to
divest from coal and oil.
6R ZKDW GRHV DOO WKLV PHDQ IRU $JULFXOWXUH"
Well, if food security policies increasingly
UHFRJQLVH FOLPDWH FKDQJH DV D PDMRU WKUHDW WR
food and national security – can agriculture
respond to the challenge and answer that
WKUHDW $W WKH 81 FOLPDWH FRQIHUHQFH LQ
6HSWHPEHU WKH ´*OREDO $JULFXOWXUDO $OOLDQFHµ
was launched that aims to enable 500 million
farmers worldwide to practice climate smart
DJULFXOWXUH E\
7KLV DLPV LQFOXGH
sustainable increases in productivity (and
LQFRPHV JUHDWHU UHVLOLHQFH RI IRRG V\VWHPV
reduction or removal of greenhouse gas
emissions and improvement of food and
QXWULWLRQ VHFXULW\ ,Q RWKHU ZRUGV ² DJULFXOWXUH
is being charged with: delivering food and
food security to nine billion people whilst
at the same time reducing or removing
greenhouse gas emissions – in a climate
that is warming and becoming more prone to
H[WUHPH ZHDWKHU HYHQWV -XVW D VLPSOH WDVN
then....
Part of the answer has to lie in “adaptation”
which is rapidly replacing “mitigation”
as the main policy tool going forward.
Another part of the answer has to be
investment in technology (GM included) to
to increase productivity and a third element
has to include increasing Research and
Development funding into “climate smart”
agriculture. Climate negotiations in 2015
and thereafter will need to recognise the
pivotal role agriculture has to play in both
absorbing greenhouse gases (soils and
forests) and delivering enhanced food
security to nine billion people (by 2050).
All in all there is much to do to conceptualise
policies that fully respond to the new
challenge of creating a sustainable food
system in an age of climate change.
“Agriculture is being charged
with: delivering food and
food security to nine billion
people whilst at the same
time reducing or removing
greenhouse gas emissions –
in a climate that is warming
and becomingmore prone
to extreme weather events.
Just a simple task then...”
Food
security
Energy
and water
Health
Jobs and
prosperity
Income
poverty
Education
Gender
equality
&RQÁLFW
& security
CLIMATE CHANGE
The impact of climate change
on development goals
Climate change impacts directly on three of
WKH JRDOV )URP LPSDFW RQ WKHVH WKUHH DUHDV
VWHPV D UDQJH RI LQWHUOLQNHG NQRFN RQ HIIHFWV
on all goal areas