(Durban, 7 December 2011) As the World Bank, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and President Zuma of South Africa promote ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’ at COP17, ActionAid has today warned that the initiatives on the table are false solutions, fraught with social, environmental and economic risks.
The World Bank claims Climate Smart Agriculture - the latest proposal to slash carbon emissions, climate proof harvests and boost agriculture through private investment - is a ‘triple win’.
ActionAid’s Climate Justice Coordinator, Harjeet Singh says it is a distraction created by rich countries to avoid filling the Green Climate Fund with public money:
“Climate Smart Agriculture is the latest in a number of decoys designed to divert attention from filling the Green Climate Fund with public money.
“Farmers need reliable and constant streams of revenue to effectively climate proof their harvests. It is dangerous to leave the fate of farmers in poor countries at the mercy of financial markets in rich ones.”
Soil carbon capture – the core of Climate Smart Agriculture – is the process of transferring carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the soil through organic material such as manure. Markets are being set up alongside the schemes that will allow rich nations to buy carbon credits in poor ones and count these towards their own carbon emission cuts.
“The World Bank should not be creating opportunities for rich countries to shirk their climate responsibilities.
“It is scandalous that poor countries, which are first and worst affected by climate change, are being forced to shoulder the burden of rich countries’ emissions cuts. Rich nations must overhaul their own industries on their own soil,” says Singh.
The World Bank claims Climate Smart Agriculture will benefit small farms in poor countries, but ActionAid’s report “Say No to Soil Carbon Markets” reveals that the long-term contracts farmers will be expected to sign, will prevent them from having the flexibility they need to climate proof their harvests in the long term.
“With nearly a billion hungry people in the world, the priority for poor farmers should be feeding their communities, not capturing carbon.
“Climate Smart Agriculture could tie farmers to contracts for up to 20 years. When bound by one farming method, how can farmers adapt their crops to changing weather?
“Soil carbon capture is easily reversible. One hail storm, drought or other extreme weather event will not only destroy their crops, but will render the soil carbon void,” says Singh.
ActionAid’s report also reveals poor farmers will receive little income from soil carbon capture schemes.
“Most smallholders own less than two hectares of land. This means they will earn less than $3 a year from soil carbon markets at the current rate. How is this financially viable?”
ActionAid is calling on governments at COP17 to halt the World Bank’s plan until the social, economic and environmental benefits to the poor have been proven. The aid agency is calling on governments to de-link Climate Smart Agriculture techniques from soil carbon markets and instead focus on providing smallholders with access to: weather forecasts; climate resistant local seeds; schemes to improve soil quality, irrigation services and appropriate green technology.
For more information and interviews contact: (In Durban) Natalie Curtis +44 (0)7931787025 or Natalie.Curtis@actionaid.org or Chris Coxon +32 (0) 488 878 381 or chris.coxon@actionaid.org
To read ActionAid’s reports click here:
Say no to Soil Carbon Markets: http://www.actionaid.org/publications/say-no-soil-carbon-markets-six-reasons-why-soil-carbon-markets-won%E2%80%99t-work-smallholders
False Solutions: http://www.actionaid.org/publications/false-solutions-real-problems