Recipe for a Livable Planet Report
Source: World Bank
GS III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Overview
- News in Brief
- Key Facts in Recipe for a Livable Planet Report
- India in Recipe for a Livable Planet Report
Why in the News?
World Bank recently released a liveable planet report.
News in Brief
- Outlines a strategic framework to address the agrifood system’s significant contribution to climate change.
- It highlights the urgent need to shift attention to this sector to achieve net zero emissions.
- The report highlights that accelerating research and development, along with policy incentives, is essential to realizing this potential and advancing sustainability goals.
- The report: Recipe for a Livable Planet: Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the Agrifood System.
Key Facts in Recipe for a Livable Planet Report
- Recipe for a Livable Planet is the first comprehensive global roadmap for mitigating the agrifood system’s contributions to climate change.
- Aim: The report demonstrates how the agricultural system responsible for producing the world’s food can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while still providing sustenance globally.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Agrifood is a big contributor to climate change.
- It contributes a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Thus averaging around 16 gigatons annually.
- As compared to all the world’s heat and electricity emissions it is one-sixth.
- It has an impact on climate change by drawing carbon from the atmosphere through ecosystems and soils.
Cost of cutting agrifood emissions
- Annual investments will need to increase by 18 times to $260 billion a year to halve current agrifood emissions by 2030.
- This estimate will put the world on track for net-zero emissions by 2050.
- Previous estimates show that the benefits in health, economic, and environmental terms could be as much as $4.3 trillion in 2030, a 16 to 1 return on investment costs.
How can different countries contribute?
- High-income countries
- Adopting renewable resources of energy, especially for the agri-food sector.
- Shifting to sustainable diet practices.
- Supporting the low-income countries in contributing to achieving net zero emission in the agri-food sector.
- Middle-income countries
- Seize three-quarters of current cost-effective opportunities to lower emissions.
- These nations can achieve this by reducing emissions from livestock and rice, investing in soil health, and minimizing food loss and waste.
- Low-income countries
- Since it needs support from High-income countries and world organisations they should focus on green growth.
- Preserving and restoring forests can be a cost-effective way.
- Converting forests to croplands or pastures made Low-income countries over half of agrifood emissions.
Big Opportunity highlighted
- This reduced emission will help to make the food supply more secure.
- Helps our food system better withstand climate change.
- Also, ensure vulnerable people are not harmed by this transition.
- Making these investments would lead to more than $4 trillion in benefits, from improvements in human health, food and nutrition security, better quality jobs and profits for farmers, to more carbon retained in forests and soils.
India in Recipe for a Livable Planet Report
- In the top 3 countries
- India is among the top 3 countries in GHG emission in agrifood systems.
Recipe for a Livable Planet Report: WHO - It is along with China and Brazil
- India is among the top 3 countries in GHG emission in agrifood systems.
- What is the reason for India’s largest GHG for agrifood?
- India’s large population makes it one of the world’s largest agrifood greenhouse gas
(GHG) emitters. - Since its vegetarian diets mitigate this.
- India has roughly four times the population of the United States but emits only 30 per cent more GHG.
- Each emits much less than the global average per person.
- India has a larger share of vegetarians than any other country worldwide.
- India’s large population makes it one of the world’s largest agrifood greenhouse gas
- Where does emission come from?
- Sixty per cent of India’s agrifood system emissions come from the farm gate.
- India’s livestock sector is highly inefficient, with its emission intensity per unit of both milk and meat among the highest worldwide.
- Rice production is among the lowest in the world, generating less than 1 kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram.
How can India mitigate emissions?
- Methane Emission
- India should reduce methane emissions.
- Intermittent irrigation and promoting varieties that emit less methane provide mitigation opportunities.
- Reduce Food Waste
- As per Food Waste Index Report 2021, Indian households generate 50 kg of food waste per capita per year.
- India has high rates of food loss and waste.
- Reducing food loss and waste will reduce GHG emissions.
- International Finance and support
- Support from Governments, businesses, civil society groups, and international Organizations all have roles to play in scaling climate action.
- Technical support to realise its agrifood mitigation potential.
- Facilitate global action
- Provide scientific knowledge
- Assist governments in climate action
- Shape policies and recommendations
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