National food and land mitigation pathways for net zero

The latest policy brief by the FABLE Consortium encourages countries to identify priority actions in national food and land use systems that contribute to the achievement of net zero targets and hold global warming below 2˚C.

Today national net zero climate commitments represent almost 90% of current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Yet, sectoral targets and a clear action map for food and land use systems are often lacking in current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and net zero commitments.

This policy brief presents six country profiles to facilitate the prioritization of actions that can deliver significant climate change mitigation via food and land use systems. Using this analysis, countries can understand which actions are best suited for their specific context. The typology can be reproduced and applied in the same manner over time to a country as its food and land use systems evolve.

The brief shows, that the food and land use systems can play a significant role in achieving net zero targets in countries with substantial land CO2 removal potential although land-based mitigation alone might not be enough to reach net zero by mid-century. Therefore, transparent approaches to a country’s global role and responsibility for GHG emissions as well as investments in innovation and technology-based solutions are crucial.

It is critical that countries implement tailored actions promoting sustainable food production and consumption to be on track with 2050 climate mitigation goals. National climate strategies should systematically include key mitigation actions for the food and land use sector, that are adapted to countries’ specific context.