National integrated mitigation planning in agriculture: A review paper

Abstract

Purpose and scope of the review: This review of national greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation planning in the agriculture sector has two objectives: (i) to provide national policy makers and others in the agriculture sector with an overview of national mitigation planning processes and aid then in identifying the relevance of these processes for promoting agricultural development; (ii) to provide policy makers and advisors involved in low-emission development planning processes with an overview of mitigation planning in the agriculture sector and in particular to highlight the relevance of agriculture to national mitigation plans and actions. The review provides an overview of agreements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on GHG mitigation in developing countries (Section 1.2). It distinguishes between low-emission development strategies (LEDS), which aim to guide a transition to a low-emission development pathway, and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), which are mitigation policies and measures undertaken in line with national development strategies. Chapter 2 reviews 32 LEDS from 18 developing countries. It provides summary analysis of the planning processes, the types of plans that have been produced and the contents of these plans. Chapter 2 also analyses the alignment of these LEDS with other policy goals and enabling conditions for planning, and summarizes lessons that have been gained from experience. Chapter 3 reviews 62 NAMAs in the agriculture sectors of 30 countries. It describes the status of development of the NAMAs, the agricultural activities proposed and the alignment of the NAMAs with other policies and policy goals. Chapter 3 also identifies key elements that support the development of the conception, design and implementation of NAMAs. Chapter 4 summarizes the status of and trends in national agricultural mitigation planning, the barriers and risks involved, and the opportunities and potentials for agricultural NAMAs. It also suggests an approach to NAMA development in the agriculture sector based on 12 basic building blocks. Key findings Agricultural mitigation is an objective in many developing countries: The report reviews 32 lowemission development plans in developing countries. Twenty-one of these consider GHG mitigation in the agriculture sector. Of the 55 countries that have submitted NAMA statements to the UNFCCC, 21 propose NAMAs in the agriculture sector. A number of NAMAs are also under development but have not been officially communicated to the UNFCCC. A total of 62 agricultural NAMAs from 30 countries have been identified. Those NAMAs that have quantified emission reduction targets or mitigation potentials indicate significant mitigation potential in the agriculture sector. Synergies with other development objectives: Countries have prioritized agricultural mitigation based on the contribution of agriculture to current GHG emissions and future projections. They have also considered the synergies between agricultural mitigation and a range of other development objectives, including increased food security; reduced deforestation; improved efficiency and trade competitiveness; the promotion of rural energy access; reduced water pollution; and heightened adaptation to climate change. Policy alignment: LEDS align with broader national development strategies. Where LEDS exist, they provide the policy framework for agricultural NAMAs. Most countries do not have a LEDS, but alignment with national development strategies is often a criterion for the selection of specific actions as NAMAs. Explicit links between agricultural NAMAs and agriculture sector development plans are less commonly stated. Several NAMAs also relate to national REDD+ objectives, but REDD+ readiness proposals tend to elaborate very little on agricultural abatement measures. Policy integration and coordination is a challenge in agricultural mitigation planning. Costs and financing: Planning processes have identified cost-negative, low-cost, and high-cost agricultural interventions. Most costs occur upfront. Those NAMAs that have cost estimates indicate that the full costs of implementation are significant. Some emerging countries are able to draw on domestic resources to finance agricultural mitigation actions, but the majority of countries have identified their LEDS and NAMAs with the intention of seeking international support. International public climate finance mostly focuses on supporting readiness, demonstrations and investments viii with transformational impacts. Most of this financing comes in the form of loans. Public finance will therefore have to be used to leverage private finance for the implementation of many mitigation plans and actions. Agriculture receives a very small proportion of international climate financing. Barriers and risks in agricultural mitigation planning: About 40 percent of NAMA submissions include agricultural activities, but agriculture has only received a very small proportion of climate financing. Relatively few agricultural NAMAs have progressed beyond statements of intent towards implementation. Constraints on agricultural NAMA development include: obstacles in the domestic policy processes; insufficient readiness within the agriculture sector; the lack of agricultural expertise in climate finance institutions; and the slow pace of development of NAMA requirements and procedures at the international level. Opportunities and potentials for agricultural NAMAs: At least 30 developing countries have expressed interest in implementing agricultural NAMAs. To date, results of planning processes indicate significant mitigation potential, often at relatively low cost, with considerable sustainable development benefits. Progress in developing agricultural NAMAs has been most rapid in some emerging and middle-income countries (e.g. Brazil, Colombia, Mongolia) and a number of lower-income countries (e.g. Ethiopia, Rwanda). Besides domestic political processes, the availability of domestic and international financing has been a facilitating factor. Agricultural mitigation planning processes: There is no single process that must be followed to make progress in planning mitigation policies and measures. Rather, the NAMA development process consists of a range of key elements, or ‘building blocks’, that describe key aspects of the technical, policy and institutional dimensions of mitigation planning. Examples of low-emission/NAMA development processes in the agriculture sector suggest a phased approach to NAMA development is appropriate. Such an approach would enable a country to address gaps and needs incrementally. Of particular importance in the agriculture sector is the need to understand barriers to adoption by smallholders, as this will be critical in the design of effective implementation measures.