At their fifty-seventh sessions (November 2022), the SBSTA and SBI continued consideration of issues related to agriculture. They agreed to recommend to the Conference of the Parties to consider these matters at its twenty-seventh session.

The conference of the Parties continued to consider these matters and adopted a decision (decision -/CP.27), reporting back on the work done under the Koronivia joint work on agriculture and establishing the four-year Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security as well as the Sharm el-Sheikh online portal under the joint work.

SB 56 continued to consider issues related to agriculture, including through the consideration of the report on the intersessional workshop, part 1 on sustainable land and water management, including integrated watershed management strategies, to ensure food security, as well as part 2 on strategies and modalities to scale up implementation of best practices, innovations and technologies that increase resilience and sustainable production in agricultural systems according to national circumstances. Drawing from this workshop report, the SBSTA and SBI agreed on a number of substantive points. For instance, they noted that implementing sustainable approaches can render multiple benefits for society, such as improved water quality, higher biodiversity and increased soil organic matter, and noted the value of incorporating diversification, recycling and efficiency, and supporting synergies within agriculture systems. The SBSTA and the SBI also recognized the importance of increased access to international resources, such as finance, capacity-building and technology development and transfer, from a variety of sources to implement these approaches.

SBSTA and SBI also exchanged on possible elements for a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twenty-seventh session. Under their own responsibility, co-facilitators prepared an informal note on possible elements for the joint SBI and SBSTA report to the Conference of the Parties at its twenty-seventh session on the progress and outcomes of the work referred to in decision 4/CP.23, paragraph 1, on the basis of Parties’ views. SBSTA and SBI mentioned this note in their conclusions, noting that the informal note does not reflect consensus or all options that may be considered by Parties.

Further information on the workshop is available on the workshop websites for part 1 and part 2.

Further details on the outcome of the session are included in the SBSTA and SBI conclusions.

SB 52-55 continued to consider issues related to agriculture, including through workshops and expert meetings, working with constituted bodies under the Convention and taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change and approaches to addressing food security including through the consideration of the reports of three workshops on improved nutrient use and manure management towards sustainable and resilient agricultural systems; on improved livestock management systems, including agropastoral production systems and others; and on socioeconomic and food security dimensions of climate change in the agricultural sector.

Drawing from these workshop reports, the SBSTA and SBI agreed on a number of substantive points related to improved nutrient use and manure management, improved livestock management systems and socioeconomic and food security dimensions of climate change in the agricultural sector. They also noted the importance of scaling up support to enhance action on safeguarding food and nutrition security and ending hunger, aiming for inclusive, sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural systems, taking into consideration the vulnerability of agriculture to the impacts of climate change. They recognized the need to improve the enabling environment for mobilizing resources to implement action at the local, national and international level.

Further details on the outcome of the session are included in the SBSTA and SBI conclusions.

The 2021 SB sessions continued to consider issues related to agriculture, including through workshops and expert meetings, working with constituted bodies under the Convention and taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change and approaches to addressing food security including through the consideration of the reports of three workshops on improved nutrient use and manure management towards sustainable and resilient agricultural systems; on improved livestock management systems, including agropastoral production systems and others; and on socioeconomic and food security dimensions of climate change in the agricultural sector.

The SBSTA Chair and the SBI Chair prepared, with the assistance of the co-facilitators, four informal notes to capture progress of the work and discussions on the outcomes from the three mandated workshops conducted in the sessional period (one general informal note and three specific informal notes on topics 2(d), 2(e) and 2(f)).

Koronivia intersessional workshop - Part 1

The workshop had initially been scheduled to take place in Bonn from 3 to 5 March 2020, but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the continuous guidance of the Bureau to minimize delays and maximize progress, the SBSTA Chair and SBI Chair convened informal consultations on the KJWA on 13 April 2021. Parties supported the approach to hold the first part of the workshop mandated by the subsidiary bodies virtually as soon as possible, while the second part of this workshop will be organized in the period before COP 26. The first part of this workshop was organized between 31 May and 17 June, in conjunction with the 2021 SB sessions.

Further information on part 1 of the workshop, including the agenda, presentations, names of speakers and full video recordings of the event, is available on the workshop website.

Due to the health and safety measures put in place worldwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, COP 26 and subsidiary body sessions had been postponed to 2021. Capitalizing on the experience from the June Momentum for Climate Change earlier this year, the SBSTA Chair Tosi Mpanu Mpanu and the SBI Chair, Marianne Karlsen, in collaboration with the COP 25 Presidency and incoming COP 26 Presidency, launched another series of virtual events, the Climate Dialogues 2020 to advance work on the subsidiary bodies and COP agendas.

As part of the Climate Dialogues two last two workshops of the Koronivia road map were organized on the following topics:

• Improved livestock management systems, including agropastoral production systems and others
• Socioeconomic and food security dimensions of climate change in the agricultural sector

Further information on the workshop, including the agenda, presentations, names of speakers and full video recordings of the events, is available on the respective workshop websites.

In line with its COVID-19 response, the UNFCCC secretariat did not convene any physical meetings in June 2020. As part of the June Momentum for Climate Change, the SBSTA Chair and SBI Chair invited Parties and observers to an information event on the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture.

The event allowed Parties and stakeholders to receive an update on the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, to learn about achievements and next steps under the Koronivia road map and to share experiences with implementation of activities related to the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture.

It also included a questions and answers session in which the Chairs of the SBSTA and the SBI responded to questions.

SBSTA/SBI 51 continued to consider issues related to agriculture, taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change and approaches to addressing food security. One workshop of the Koronivia road map was held during the session on the following topic:

• Improved nutrient use and manure management towards sustainable and resilient agricultural systems

The SBSTA and the SBI considered the workshop reports of the two workshops held during SB 50 in June in Bonn on Methods and approaches for assessing adaptation, adaptation co-benefits and resilience and on Improved soil carbon, soil health and soil fertility under grassland and cropland as well as integrated systems, including water management. Drawing from this workshop report, the SBSTA and SBI agreed on a number of substantive points related to assessing adaptation as well as soil carbon, soil health and soil fertility. They also invited Parties to consider relevant policies, actions and measures, including national plans and strategies, that would help with implementing related activities.

Further details on the outcome of the session are included in the reports of SBSTA 51 and SBI 51. 

SBSTA/SBI 50 continued to consider issues related to agriculture, taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change and approaches to addressing food security. Two workshops were held during the session on the following topics:

• Methods and approaches for assessing adaptation, adaptation co-benefits and resilience
• Improved soil carbon, soil health and soil fertility under grassland and cropland as well as integrated systems, including water management

The SBSTA and the SBI considered the workshop report of the first workshop held in December 2018 in Katowice on Modalities for implementation of the outcomes of the five in-session workshops on issues related to agriculture and other future topics that may arise from this work. Drawing from this workshop report, the SBSTA and SBI agreed on a number of substantive points related to continued involvement of UNFCCC constituted bodies in the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, existing modalities and the work of the GCF, among others. They further recognized the importance of the continued involvement of scientific and technical knowledge in transforming the agriculture sector, enabling conditions, the crucial role of farmers, youth, local communities and indigenous peoples, including gender considerations, and of meeting the needs of farmers and the food systems.

The SBSTA and the SBI requested the secretariat to organize, in addition to the workshops mandated in the Koronivia road map and subject to the availability of supplementary funds, an intersessional workshop between SB 51 and 52 to contribute to delivering the outcomes of the KJWA. They welcomed with appreciation the offer of the Government of New Zealand to host the workshop. The further requested the secretariat to take into account the following elements when organizing the workshop:

• Sustainable land and water management, including integrated watershed management strategies, to ensure food security;
• Strategies and modalities to scale up implementation of best practices, innovations and technologies that increase resilience and sustainable production in agricultural systems according to national circumstances.

Further details on the outcome of the session are included in the reports of SBSTA 50 and SBI 50. 

SBSTA/SBI 49 continued to consider issues related to agriculture, taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change and approaches to addressing food security. The first workshop of the Koronivia road map titled Modalities for implementation of the outcomes of the five in-session workshops on issues related to agriculture and other future topics that may arise from this work was organized on 3 December 2018. The report of the workshop is available here.

The SBSTA and the SBI welcomed the participation in the workshop of representatives of the constituted bodies under the Convention and observers, including a representative of the Green Climate Fund. They noted with appreciation the work undertaken by these bodies and observers on issues related to agriculture. They also invited the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism (GCF and GEF), the Adaptation Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund to contribute to the work and attend the workshops under the Koronivia road map. In addition, the SBSTA and the SBI welcomed the proposal made by New Zealand to host a workshop related to the Koronivia road map, and agreed to continue consideration of the proposal at SB50.

Further details on the outcome of the session are included in the reports of SBSTA 49 and SBI 49. 

SBSTA/SBI 48 continued to consider issues related to agriculture, taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change and approaches to addressing food security. As a result of discussions in May, Parties agreed on the Koronivia road map with six workshops to be organized in conjunction with UNFCCC sessions between 2018 and 2020. The agreed topics of the workshops are:

(a) Modalities for implementation of the outcomes of the five in-session workshops on issues related to agriculture and other future topics that may arise from this work;
(b) Methods and approaches for assessing adaptation, adaptation co-benefits and resilience;
(c) Improved soil carbon, soil health and soil fertility under grassland and cropland as well as integrated systems, including water management;
(d) Improved nutrient use and manure management towards sustainable and resilient agricultural systems;
(e) Improved livestock management systems;
(f) Socioeconomic and food security dimensions of climate change in the agricultural sector.

Parties and observer organizations are invited to submit their views on the topics of each workshop by the deadlines given in the Koronivia road map via the submission portal. The detailed Koronivia road map is available in annex I to the SBSTA report or the SBI report.