Agri-Food’s Outlook in the Green Pause Economic challenges and reactions to them are leading to a temporary slowdown in the green paradigm shift. The clearest illustration of this is the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) recently held in Dubai. Policymakers along with energy, political, and business leaders convened to discuss and provide guidance for the world’s energy outlook. While 198 parties signed the UAE Consensus, it was one that recognized the need for countries to chart their own paths towards achieving carbon neutrality. This of course makes good practical sense, as every nation has circumstances that are specific and sometimes very different from others. Ultimately that may slow progress toward net zero. But the reality is that elevated inflation, decelerating economies, and the risk of recession bring resistance against certain green transition initiatives, especially those with big price tags. Food is of course critical, and high prices cause hardship. Some countries are net importers, while others are net exporters: they don’t have the same challenges or goals. So, in recognizing the importance of the agrifood sector, organizers of COP28 added a food-systems focus to their agenda. The goal is to have global governments integrate food systems and agriculture into […]
