Was any progress made on food systems at SB60 Climate Meetings in Bonn?

Was there progress in the UNFCCC's "joint work on implementation of climate action on on agriculture and food security"?

“We’ve taken modest steps forward here in Bonn,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell in his closing speech at the SB60 Bonn Climate Change Meetings.

Modest steps were also taken for the integration of food systems into climate action as the “Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security” (SSJWA) - which brings issues related to agriculture and food security under the UNFCCC to the level of implementation  -  finally agreed on a work plan. This is good news given that it has been eighteen months since SSJWA at COP27 was created after its predecessor, “Koronivia” reached the end of its term.

The SSJWA work plan includes an annual synthesis report, an online portal to be presented at COP29, and two workshops on:

• “Systemic and holistic approaches to implementation of climate action on agriculture, food systems and food security, understanding, cooperation and integration into plans”, to take place at SB62 in June 2025. This provides a welcome and important opportunity to discuss the added value of a food systems approach for climate action, and builds on the growing momentum around food systems in the UNFCCC.

• “Progress, challenges and opportunities related to identifying needs and accessing means of implementation for climate action in agriculture and food security, including sharing of best practices”, at SB64 in June 2026 .

Access the agreement document here.

Was there progress on just transition? Will countries take into account the policy convergence process on inequalities at CFS?

At COP 27, parties agreed to establish a work program on just transition for discussion of pathways to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. One year later, at COP 28, parties defined and adopted the programme’s objectives. The work program will be implemented through organizing two round table dialogues per year between now and 2026.

Although it is important to foster pathways tailored to local realities, creating a coherent framework through international cooperation could accelerate policy development. An early indication of success would be the degree and quality of how just transition will feature in the third round of NDCs as well as new LT-LEDS. Only 44 NDCs—from 70 countries, as the EU has a joint NDC—explicitly referenced just transition by November 2023.

In parallel, some relevant international cooperation on just transitions is underway in the “policy convergence workstream on Reducing Inequalities for Food Security and Nutrition” at the Committe for World Food Security (CFS), where countries are soon to reach agreement on a set of Policy Recommendations on Inequalities for Food Security and Nutrition. With increasing talk on “policy convergence and coherence” to tackle multiple crises, countries can take into account the set of final recommended actions for inclusion in the UNFCCC Just Transition Work Programme, and for the updating of their third NDCs and their LT-LEDS.

Was there progress on financing and on enhanced NDCs? What can countries do in the run up to COP29?

Climate finance discussions at the UN climate talks in Bonn did not progress sufficiently. A key outcome for COP29 will be reaching a new funding goal for climate action in developing countries between 2025 and 2035, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Developed countries have not yet provided specific details on their potential contributions or how those contributions might be structured. Discussions around securing funding for adaptation, mitigation, and Loss and Damage is critical for sustainable food systems, and require firm steps from now until COP29.

In parallel, strong signals are needed from Parties regarding the inclusion of food systems and agriculture in their updated NDCs. Waiting another five years to do this will dangerously hold back the transformation of our food systems, increasing the likelihood of systemic risks materializing, which would put more people and their economies in jeopardy. One important signal, which would also build coherence, would be for the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to integrate food systems, agriculture and just transitions into their new National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans due this year.