Washington, May 8, 2023 — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, co-organizer of the AIM for Climate Summit, said today at the summit’s opening plenary that AIM for Climate partners around the world are increasing their investment and support. announced. Innovation in climate-smart agriculture and food systems.
“Climate change continues to impact long-standing agricultural practices in all countries, and to meet the challenges of climate change head-on and build more sustainable, equitable and resilient food systems, strong We need a global commitment,” Vilsack said. “We all need to work together to tackle the challenges of climate change and food security through innovative technologies and approaches. I hope you will take this opportunity to rise to the occasion.”
Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Her Excellency Mariam Bint Mohamed Al-Muhiri, said that enhancing domestic and global food security through sustainable technology and innovation is the key for the UAE. It reiterated that it is one of the key strategic pillars of the National Food Security Strategy 2051. Through this strategy, the country aims to improve the entire food value chain and build a sustainable future for all.
“Under the vision and guidance of our enlightened leadership, the UAE will work to address the various challenges facing the global food and agricultural system within a larger framework aimed at addressing climate change and mitigating its negative impacts. We are committed to building a solid foundation for international cooperation to find solutions to the most pressing challenges: the future of humanity, for the climate initiative jointly launched between the United Arab Emirates and the United States. AIM embodies this important approach, our commitment to transforming the world’s agricultural system into a more advanced and sustainable system to combat the scarcity of water and arable land in many countries. It reflects our commitment to help end hunger in the world,” Al-Muhiri said.
Launched at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021, AIM for Climate is jointly led by the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Secretary of State Vilsack, former US Vice President Al Gore, and Minister Al-Muhiri shared the stage at the summit’s opening ceremony.
Aiming for progress on climate change
Virsak said the summit was a pivotal moment in demonstrating progress for AIM for Climate as there is a global desire to accelerate progress in addressing the challenges of global food and nutrition security and climate change. pointed out that Secretary Vilsak announced new investments, partners and resources to advance the initiative to his COP28.
- increased investment: Partners are committed to investing more than $13 billion in innovation in climate-smart agriculture and food systems, surpassing the challenge of $10 billion by COP28 by Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry at COP27 (2020 above baseline).
- Innovation Sprint: 21 new innovation sprints increased investment in climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation by an additional $1.8 billion, bringing the total number of innovation sprints to 51 (over $3 billion).
- partner: New partners, including the governments of Argentina, Fiji, Guatemala, India, Panama, Paraguay and Sri Lanka, bring the total number of governments, innovation sprints and knowledge partners to 500.
USDA Scientific Research Strategy
Secretary Vilsak also announced the release of “USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023-2026: Cultivating Scientific Innovation (PDF, 21.3 MB)” during the opening plenary. This strategy will advance his USDA scientific priorities for the next three years, transforming the U.S. food system and establishing a scientific framework to support the country’s farmers, ranchers, growers, and foresters. establish.
“We know that scientific innovation will enable new, cost-effective solutions to address some of our toughest challenges,” said Secretary Vilsak. “This is a strategic priority for the USDA. It is a forward-looking strategy aligned with , enabling us to make significant progress in the food, agriculture and natural resources sectors.”
The strategy’s five science and research priorities include accelerating innovative technologies and practices, advancing climate smart solutions, enhancing nutritional security and health, fostering resilient ecosystems, and turning research into action. includes moving. This cross-cutting strategy explores how USDA science begins with innovation, addresses obstacles faced in agriculture beyond key priorities, and provides real-world insights for how our research responds to the moment. It indicates whether it will definitely convert to a solution.
To review strategies and join the conversation, visit www.usda.gov/topics/research-and-science.
Launching an international climate hub
Building on the announcement at COP27 to launch an international climate hub based on the success of domestic climate hubs, Executive Director Virsak announced the launch of the website for the international climate hub. This new portal will promote a science-based climate-based approach by providing information and resources tailored to specific regions and needs, including focusing on the countries and producers most vulnerable to the impacts of global climate change. enable better agricultural decision-making.
The COMET-Planner Global Assessment Tool, a tool included in the International Climate Hub, helps land managers around the world estimate the current and potential greenhouse gas mitigation and carbon sequestration benefits of common agricultural conservation practices. to This foundational tool leverages ten years of USDA and Colorado State University experience in building climate-smart conservation planning tools to demonstrate the beneficial impact of climate-smart conservation practices on worksites around the world. helps to measure and demonstrate
A lunch session on the first day of the summit explored the potential impact of climate change on the availability of popular foods and was curated by former White House chef Sam Kass. Diane Holdorf, Executive Vice President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, will lead a panel discussion with the CEOs of ADM, Gro Intelligence, PepsiCo and Planet FWD, advocating for COP28 on promoting credible climate action. We talked about the role of agribusiness.
To learn more about AIM for Climate and how to partner, visit aimforclimate.org/#partners.
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