THE 2022 AGRICULTURE CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS  

 

 

The AGRICULTURE CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS 2022 under the theme – “Bringing innovation and leadership from the Americas´ agriculture sector to address the climate crisis” was a High-Level Meeting of the Americas recently held at the IICA Headquarters in Costa Rico.

Minister Samantha Marshall was unable to attend because of other commitments and duties.  Therefore, Mr. Colin O’keiffe, Permanent Secretary (PS) attended on her behalf and also to represent Antigua and Barbuda.

The two main focus of this high-level meeting were addressing Climate Change issues in Agriculture in order to meet the 2030 Sustainable development goals and the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.  This was not only was the meeting a very important gathering of ministers and permanent secretaries, but member states, leaders of international climate funds, impact investment managers, development banks, cooperation agencies, and private sector were also invited to participate.

The meeting not a regular one, moreover, it was a “preparatory process” where, discussions were held and decisions were made that could result into positive futuristic sustainable applications that would curtail the negative impacts of Climate Change on the Agriculture Sectors especially for those islands most vulnerable to Natural Disasters.

The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, thirty-four countries most of which were Spanish speaking were represented however at the conclusion of the meeting all were in solidarity with the concerns though they may differ country to country.  The requests and expectations that were to be presented at the upcoming 27th United Nations Conference of Parties (UNFCC COP) were unanimous. The UNFCC COP will be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from 6th to 18th November, 2022.

Hopefully, if given the support and resources sought after the region will benefit in many areas that are conducive for a sustainable Agricultural Sector and mitigated against most if not all of the negative impact caused by Climate Change.

PS O’keiffe felt that the meeting was a success. “It was one of the most successful meetings held especially at that particular level, as permanent secretaries from time to time we are asked to represent the ministers by doing so we would have been exposed over the years to these types of meeting and this particular one I can say has been the most successful one I have been to over the last three years,” PS O’keiffe said.  The Success was credited to the full support given obtained and the unity that fostered the consolidated presentation generated out of this meeting  which will be presented at UNFCC COP.