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Policy coherence for food systems transformation

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Real-life examples

An analysis of policy coherence between the national pathways and existing national policies and strategies in Malawi, Ethiopia and Niger
An analysis of policy coherence between the national pathways and existing national policies and strategies in Malawi, Ethiopia and Niger
Good practice examples of integration of food systems in NDCs – Kenya
Good practice examples of integration of food systems in NDCs – Kenya
Linking climate and food action through strengthened governance and policy environment for urban and peri-urban agriculture
Linking climate and food action through strengthened governance and policy environment for urban and peri-urban agriculture
School meals coalition – Namibia
School meals coalition – Namibia

Current food systems have been significantly shaped by many fragmented and conflicting policies, hampering progress in reversing prevalent issues such as hunger, malnutrition, poverty and environmental degradation. Such incoherence undermines the efficient and effective attainment of various objectives and creates tensions within the food system and its actors, hence the importance of policy coherence. Policy coherence is typically evident when policies align actions and decisions throughout the entire food system. This kind of alignment ensures that policies designed to improve one outcome do not undermine others – an important feature considering the interconnected nature of the SDGs. This systematic promotion of mutually reinforcing policy actions across government departments and agencies creates synergies towards achieving the agreed objectives. For example, a policy initiative aimed at promoting sustainable aquaculture practices to enhance seafood production while safeguarding marine ecosystems could be supported by various interconnected measures across different domains. Trade policies could prioritize the importation of sustainably sourced seafood, thereby incentivizing compliance with international sustainability standards (see other examples in Figure 6). Skills and training programmes on sustainable aquaculture targeting youth could be rolled out. The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan can be designed around the protection of marine ecosystems, incorporating multiple benefits such as promoting sustainable aquaculture, food security and nutrition, and jobs and social protection. Likewise, food systems and sustainable aquaculture, in particular, can be incorporated as an explicit element of the climate strategy, including the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, if applicable.

Figure 6. Example of potential policy (in)coherence: a policy to promote fruit and vegetable consumption.

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Source: Parsons, K. & Hawkes, C. 2019. Brief 5: Policy Coherence in Food Systems. In: Rethinking Food Policy: A Fresh Approach to Policy and Practice. London, Centre for Food Policy.
https://symposium.bayes.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/504621/7643_Brief-5_Policy_coherence_in_food_systems_2021_SP_AW.pdf

Previous sections have emphasized the importance of acknowledging that various components within a system are interconnected and interdependent, highlighting the need for multistakeholder collaboration. By acknowledging these interconnections, policymakers can navigate multiple outcomes and manage potential trade-offs and synergies more effectively. This approach systematically minimizes inefficiencies and conflicts. It facilitates the development of comprehensive policies that address complex challenges in a holistic and coordinated manner. Fostering collaboration and building strong relationships among different stakeholders is the pillar of developing comprehensive and effective policies that account for the complexities and interdependencies inherent in food systems.

As RCs and UNCTs, you serve as pivotal actors in advocating for coherent policies including the integration of other issues such as food and environmental agendas within national and subnational policies and strategies. Through your expertise and diplomatic channels, you can champion the incorporation of environmental considerations into broader food policy frameworks, in particular the National Pathways for Food Systems Transformation, and food considerations into environment-related policy processes, such as the NDCs and the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), thereby fostering coherence and alignment with global sustainability objectives. This directly contributes to advancing two of the six UN key transitions, namely (1) food systems and (6) climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, fostering an integrated approach and investment pathways needed to fulfil the 2030 Agenda.

One emerging entry point for policy coherence on food systems transformation is water. In many countries, water scarcity is an acute situation and has significant ripple effects across the socioeconomic landscape. Food and water are deeply intertwined, and policies that aim to reduce water scarcity can be designed to improve food security as well as sustainability in the longer term.

In the current political landscape, the integration of the food and environmental agendas holds significant potential in several key areas:

  1. Interlinking food systems transformation and climate action: In the framework of the conferences of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), establishing crucial connections between the transformation of food systems and the imperative for climate action.
  2. Integrating food systems transformation and biodiversity preservation: In the framework of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP), as we move towards COP29 and the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, underscoring the vital relationship between transforming food systems and preserving biodiversity.
  3. Mobilizing support for national pathway implementation: In the framework of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) Stocktaking Moments, bolstering support for the implementation of national pathways, facilitating tangible progress on sustainable transformation.

By aligning actions across multiple fronts – biodiversity, climate, pollution and inequality – through the food systems nexus, you can foster convergence and coherence in the collective efforts to address pressing global challenges.

Several ongoing initiatives focus on integrating the food and environmental agendas, in particular in relation to national pathways, NDCs, and NBSAP policy processes. Some important ones are listed in Table 1.

INITIATIVEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate ActionThe COP28 UAE Declaration, issued during the UNFCCC conference, marks, marks a significant milestone as 159 countries pledged to prioritize agriculture in national climate policies and invest in fair, sustainable food systems. The declaration underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to address climate change, food security, and agricultural sustainability. It emphasizes integrating climate adaptation and mitigation strategies into agricultural practices and calls for support for smallholder farmers, Indigenous communities, and vulnerable populations. Additionally, the declaration advocates for increased investment in research, innovation, and technology transfer to promote climate-smart agriculture and enhance food system resilience.
COP27 Decision 3/CP.27: Joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food securityIt aims to enhance global efforts in addressing climate change impacts on agriculture and food security. It emphasizes the integration of climate resilience into agricultural practices, promotes sustainable land management, and supports adaptation and mitigation measures in agricultural sectors worldwide. The decision underscores the importance of enhancing capacity building, technology transfer, and financial support for developing countries to implement climate-resilient agricultural practices, thereby contributing to the broader climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Agrifood Sharm el-Sheikh Support ProgramCOP28 UAE Presidency, FAO, the World Bank, CGIAR and IFAD announced the creation of the Agrifood Sharm el-Sheikh Support Program, a three-year programme to facilitate dialogue and knowledge-sharing among global and regional policymakers. The programme aims to drive consensus within the UNFCCC process and ultimately enable countries and regions to unlock finance and support for farmers, food producers, small agribusinesses, and local communities.
Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation InitiativeInitiated by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and the 4SD Foundation, this initiative targets pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from current food systems. It aims to align national food systems with climate targets by 2025, such as NDCs and National Adaptation Plans NAPs. It supports countries in maximizing synergies between food systems transformation and climate action, aligning with COP30 and the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktaking Moment in 2025. It catalyses advancements towards climate-smart, people-centric, and nature-positive food systems, promoting a fair, inclusive and sustainable future aligned with the 2030 Agenda. The initiative actively promotes a national convergence process, offering periodic technical assistance, orientation sessions, facilitation of resources, including convergence dialogues, and ongoing guidance to foster cross-sectoral collaboration and stakeholder engagement on the journey towards COP30.
Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN)Launched by Egypt as COP27 Presidency, in partnership with WHO, FAO, other UN agencies and partners such as the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, I-CAN is a multistakeholder, multisectoral global flagship initiative. The goal of I-CAN is to support Member States in delivering climate change adaptation and mitigation policy action which simultaneously improves nutrition and triggers transformative action to deliver healthy diets from sustainable food systems thus contributing to achieving the global targets for SDG 13, SDG 3 and SDG 2.
Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation Initiative (FAST)FAST is a multistakeholder partnership that aims to catalyse and accelerate the transformation of agriculture and food systems by 2030 for people, climate and nature with a focus on scaling up climate finance for agriculture and food systems. The partnership was developed to implement activities and achieve the objectives of the FAST Initiative, which was launched by the COP27 Presidency in 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
NBSAP Accelerator partnershipThe NBSAP Accelerator partnership strengthens global, regional and national efforts to implement revised NBSAPs by acting as a neutral broker. It enhances access to financial and technical support, and offers customized in-country facilitation, thereby raising the political profile of NBSAPs and catalysing biodiversity action.
Key actions include:
  • Training facilitators on themes such as sustainable food systems, which is crucial for achieving several Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets and broader SDGs;
  • Promoting collaboration across various sectors and levels (national, regional, international) to ensure aligned policy approaches and effective solutions;and
  • Under the leadership of Colombia and Germany, enhancing progress through capacity building, information exchange, and coordinated efforts.
The NBSAP Accelerator builds on the GBF Early Action Support project, funded by the Green Environment Fund (GEF) and implemented by UNEP in partnership with UNDP, supports 69 of 138 countries in aligning their national biodiversity strategies with the GBF. This involves administering a global Technical Support Unit to provide necessary tools, guidance and training for early GBF implementation.
Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food programme (TEEBAgriFood)The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global initiative focused on “making nature’s values visible.” Its principal objective is to mainstream the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services into decision-making at all levels. Recognizing the impact and dependency of the food system on nature and people, TEEBAgriFood was developed to apply whole systems thinking to the economics of agriculture, which is concerned with complex and extensive eco-agrifood value chains – from supporting ecosystems, to productive farms, to intermediaries such as aggregators, wholesalers and retailers, to food and beverage manufacturers, to distributors and consumers. UNEP supported the implementation of TEEBAgriFood initiatives in 12 countries around the world, in collaboration with national and local government agencies, local research institutions, civil society and private sector businesses and networks.

Resources and tools

TITLE AND CITATIONDESCRIPTION
Food Systems Transformation: What’s in the policy toolbox?
Parsons, K. and Barling, D. 2021. Food Systems Transformation: What's in the policy toolbox? Hatfield, UK, University of Hertfordshire.
https://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Transformation
-toolbox-summary.pdf		Provides policy levers for food systems transformation, based on a project by the University of Hertfordshire’s Food Systems & Policy Research Group.
Policy coherence in food systems
Parsons, K. and Hawkes, C. 2019. Rethinking Food Policy: A Fresh Approach to Policy and Practice – Brief 5: Policy coherence in food systems. London, Centre for Food Policy.
https://symposium.bayes.city.ac.uk/__data/
assets/pdf_file/0018/504621/7643_
Brief-5_Policy_coherence_in_food
_systems_2021_SP_AW.pdf		Describes what policy coherence is, why it is needed and how to analyse it to devise more coherent food policy.
National and Sub-national Food Systems Multi-Stakeholder Mechanisms: An Assessment of Experiences
One Planet Network. 2021. National and Sub-national Food Systems Multi-Stakeholder Mechanisms: An Assessment of Experiences. Paris, UNEP.
https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/
default/files/2021-10/211018_WWF_
One%20Planet%20Report_FA_Full
%20Report_1.pdf		Compiles existing initiatives and partnerships working in sustainable food systems. Highlights good practices and success stories of multistakeholder mechanisms.
12 tools for connecting food policy: A typology of mechanisms
Parsons, K. 2022. 12 tools for connecting food policy: A typology of mechanisms. Rethinking Food Governance, Report 3. London, Centre for Food Policy at City University of London.
https://foodresearch.org.uk/publications
/12-tools-for-connecting-food-policy-
a-typology-of-mechanisms/		Examines how food policymaking in England – and in other countries – could be better connected, in ways that would lead to more coherent and effective policy.
Food systems policy tool
Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition. 2021. Policy Tool. London, Global Panel.
https://www.glopan.org/policy_tool/		Provides a framework to stimulate country-level dialogue and support the development of realistic public and private sector actions. It follows a food systems approach, using the food system as a framework to support the multisector collaborative action required to deliver high-quality diets, as well as supporting other agricultural, health, environmental and economic policies.
Untapped Opportunities for Climate Action: An Assessment of Food Systems in Nationally Determined Contributions
Global Alliance for the Future of Food. 2022. Untapped Opportunities for Climate Action: An Assessment of Food Systems in Nationally Determined Contributions.
https://futureoffood.org/wp-content/
uploads/2022/03/assessment-of-food
-systems-in-ndcs.pdf		Comprehensively assesses how 14 countries have incorporated food systems into their NDCs to date. Designed as a toolkit for policymakers and other interested stakeholders, the assessments, country case studies, framework, and summary report that make up the full suite of materials highlight the many opportunities for governments to use food systems transformation to drive significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions, as well as other health, environmental and social benefits.
Enhancing NDCs for food systems: Recommendations for decision-makers
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). 2020. Enhancing NDCs for food systems. Recommendations for decision-makers. Berlin.
https://climatefocus.com/wp-content
/uploads/2022/06/200909_WWF
_NDC_Food_final_low.pdf		The paper by WWF, in cooperation with UNEP, EAT, and Climate Focus, gives an overview of the role of and opportunities for the food system to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and summarizes how it is currently featured in NDCs. It also provides suggestions for policies and measures that could be included in NDCs for activities across the food system. These recommendations are meant to serve as a starting point for discussions, and future development and to provide a clear way towards measurable, actionable outcomes within NDCs.
Food, Environment, Land and Development (FELD) Action Tracker
Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU). 2024. Food, Environment, Land and Development (FELD) Action Tracker. In: FELD Action Tracker.
https://feldactiontracker.org/		This strategic initiative under the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) Coalition is dedicated to providing practical support to countries’ transformations of food and land use systems by analysing national policies; by tracking the resulting implementation and other related actions; by identifying good practices to be shared on a dedicated platform; and by assessing specific impact and overall progress against national and global strategies and targets under the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. The FELD programme and its methodologies are designed to support countries and their partners in devising, implementing and improving effective and ambitious policies for transforming their food and land-use systems and practices.
COP28 Agriculture, Food and Climate National Action Toolkit
Bakhtary, H., Rynearson, A., Fleckenstein, M., Nelson, W., Fong, P., Seggel, A., Crumpler, N.K. et al. 2023. COP28 Agriculture, Food and Climate National Action Toolkit – Taking stock of good practices, initiatives, and tools for food system transformation through Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans. Gand, WWF.
https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle
/20.500.14283/cc9049en		Serves as a key resource for national policymakers and decision-makers aiming to accelerate and align national efforts on climate action and food and agriculture system transformation. It provides a summary of priority actions, gives an overview of good examples of NDCs and NAPs and how they integrate agriculture and food system measures, and, lastly, presents an overview of existing initiatives, platforms, and tools that can help governments in developing and implementing agriculture and food system policy measures as part of their NDCs and NAPs.
Food Forward NDCs
WWF. 2024. Food Forward NDCs.
https://foodforwardndcs.panda.org/		This guidance tool supports the enhancement and implementation of NDC ambitions for agriculture and food systems transformation. It will help countries strengthen their NDCs by providing easy and accessible content to identify policy measures and practices and information about their climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development benefits.
Building Circularity into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Learning for Nature. 2023. Building Circularity into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)– A Practical Toolbox. In: Learning for Nature. UNEP, UNDP & UNFCCC.
https://www.learningfornature.org/en/building-circularity-into-nationally-determined-contributions/		Aims to support countries to identify, prioritize, implement and track circular economy interventions for increased ambition and implementation of their NDCs. It aims to provide policymakers with a methodology and tools to help:
  1. assess and identify greenhouse gas emissions hotspots from material use to prioritize sectors and/or subsectors in the NDC for circular economy interventions for increased climate ambition;
  2. assess and select circular economy interventions in prioritized sectors for the NDC;
  3. identify policy instruments and indicators for the implementation of selected circular economy interventions in the NDC; and
  4. track and report progress in the national Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement.
The toolbox is divided into four stages to leverage a country’s policy cycle. Each stage includes a set of steps and key questions to consider as well as tools and case studies
Hotspot Analysis Tool For Sustainable Consumption And Production
One Planet Network. 2024. Hotspot Analysis Tool for Sustainable Consumption and Production to support science-based national policy frameworks. In: SCP Hotspot Analysis. UNEP.
https://scp-hat.org/		Provides two modules to analyse hotspots of unsustainable consumption and production. In addition, standard reports provide more comprehensive information tailored to your needs, and in the Methods & Data section users can learn more about and download all the data used.
Adaptation, Biodiversity and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map)
FAO. 2024. Adaptation, Biodiversity and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map). FAO.
http://abc-map.org/		This is an all-in-one tool to assess the environmental impact of projects and investments in the agriculture, forestry and land use sector. ABC-Map is an open-source geospatial app based on Google Earth Engine. It integrates global datasets including climate data from ERA5, land cover data from the European Space Agency, and biodiversity data from the World Database on Protected Areas. It provides users with comprehensive assessments in three key areas: adaptation, biodiversity, and carbon. Users can input project details and quickly assess climate vulnerabilities, biodiversity impacts, and carbon reduction potential. ABC-Map aims to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the UNFCCC, CBD and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification by enhancing their capacity to plan and monitor climate-resilient agricultural and land-use projects effectively.
Nationally Determined Contribution Expert Tool (NEXT)
FAO. 2024. Nationally Determined Contribution Expert Tool (NEXT). In FAO.
http://clh-ckan.apps.fao.org/dataset/
ac7bada1-da53-4e5f-90b2-67660eef0ec8
/resource/71e5c0b4-cc00-4d1f-acb3
-dd66635c3bcf		NEXT is a greenhouse gas accounting tool developed by FAO to support annual environmental impact assessment for the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector. NEXT provides a 30-year time series of annual and cumulated estimates of carbon removal and greenhouse gas emissions reductions from climate actions made by Parties to the Paris Agreement. The NEXT tool was specifically designed to align with the enhanced transparency framework of the Paris Agreement, facilitating the tracking of NDCs as outlined in the modalities, procedures and guidelines. It provides a detailed temporal series of results and a broad range of indicators, including the social value of carbon, offering a comprehensive assessment of environmental and economic impacts related to mitigation targets. Moreover, NEXT supports countries in interpreting, tracking and enhancing the ambition of their NDCs, thereby contributing to the global stocktake process of the Paris Agreement in a coherent manner.
Climate Risk Toolbox
FAO. 2023. Climate Risk Toolbox – Guiding material for climate risk screening. Rome.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cc2909en		Supports the design of climate-resilient agricultural investment projects and plans, by allowing users to conduct climate risk screenings through advanced climate-related geospatial information and data.
Global Stocktake Explorer
Climate Policy Radar. 2024. Global Stocktake Explorer. London.
https://gst1.org/		Supports the analysis of inputs to the first Global Stocktake. These include thousands of inputs that were submitted via the Global Stocktake Information Portal, and other input documents available on other UNFCCC portals such as the NAP Central portal. Key climate action topics under the themes of mitigation, adaptation, means of implementation and crosscutting have also been labelled in the text using machine-learning methods supervised by a team of climate policy experts and data scientists. These are reflected in the filters that you can use to understand and analyse the inputs in addition to the search functionality.
Nationally Determined Contributions Tracking Tool
Download the tool
User manual: Umulisa, V., Schiettecatte, L-S., Bloise, M., Crumpler, K., Prosperi, P., Salvatore, M. & Bernoux, M. 2023. The Nationally Determined Contributions Tracking Tool user manual. Rome, FAO.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4960en		Facilitates countries in collecting the information required to track progress made in implementing and achieving their NDCs. Based on the information available in each country, the user-friendly tool compares planned versus implemented mitigation and adaptation actions, and estimates the greenhouse gas reduction achieved thereafter compared to the sectoral and/or national baseline and NDC target scenario. Overall, the tool is designed to support governments, national experts and practitioners involved in the preparation, implementation, updates, revision and reporting of all sectors covered by the NDC.
Food Waste Index Report 2024
UNEP. 2024. Food Waste Index Report 2024. Think Eat Save: Tracking Progress to Halve Global Food Waste. Nairobi.
https://wedocs.unep.org/
20.500.11822/45230		Provides the most comprehensive global assessment of food waste data and analysis, and provides a spotlight on solutions to reduce food waste. It plays a pivotal role in bridging food and environmental agendas through comprehensive data analysis and strategic insights. By tracking global progress towards SDG Target 12.3 to halve food waste by 2030, the report highlights critical areas for intervention and collaboration. It emphasizes the compounding benefits of reducing food waste, such as mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and addressing food insecurity amidst global hunger challenges. The report underscores the significant environmental impact of food waste, generating 8–10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while illustrating that food waste is not solely a problem of affluent nations. The report calls on countries to utilize the Food Waste Index to develop robust national baselines and track progress, urging integration into national climate plans (NDCs) and biodiversity strategies (NBSAPs) to enhance sustainability efforts. Overall, the report serves as a critical tool for policymakers, businesses and communities worldwide to collaboratively address food waste, enhance resilience in food systems, and advance global environmental goals.
Changing behaviour to help more people waste less food
Goodwin, L., Blondinn, S., Bassett, G., Roberts, M., Wistrand, L., White, H., Swannell, R., Leib, E.B., Plekenpol, R. & Rouse, H. 2022. Changing behaviour to help more people waste less food: a guide. Nairobi, UNEP & Washington, DC, WRI (World Resources Institute)
https://champions123.org/sites/
default/files/2022-09/Champions_12.3
_Playbook_HIGH-RESOLUTION.pdf		Aims to help key actors in the food system focus on how they can help consumers reduce food waste through behaviour change. It is specifically aimed at household food waste, where the majority of waste (61 percent) occurs.

Resources and tools

TITLE AND CITATIONDESCRIPTION
Food Systems Transformation: What’s in the policy toolbox?
Parsons, K. and Barling, D. 2021. Food Systems Transformation: What's in the policy toolbox? Hatfield, UK, University of Hertfordshire.
https://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Transformation
-toolbox-summary.pdf		Provides policy levers for food systems transformation, based on a project by the University of Hertfordshire’s Food Systems & Policy Research Group.
Policy coherence in food systems
Parsons, K. and Hawkes, C. 2019. Rethinking Food Policy: A Fresh Approach to Policy and Practice – Brief 5: Policy coherence in food systems. London, Centre for Food Policy.
https://symposium.bayes.city.ac.uk/__data/
assets/pdf_file/0018/504621/7643_
Brief-5_Policy_coherence_in_food
_systems_2021_SP_AW.pdf		Describes what policy coherence is, why it is needed and how to analyse it to devise more coherent food policy.
National and Sub-national Food Systems Multi-Stakeholder Mechanisms: An Assessment of Experiences
One Planet Network. 2021. National and Sub-national Food Systems Multi-Stakeholder Mechanisms: An Assessment of Experiences. Paris, UNEP.
https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/
default/files/2021-10/211018_WWF_
One%20Planet%20Report_FA_Full
%20Report_1.pdf		Compiles existing initiatives and partnerships working in sustainable food systems. Highlights good practices and success stories of multistakeholder mechanisms.
12 tools for connecting food policy: A typology of mechanisms
Parsons, K. 2022. 12 tools for connecting food policy: A typology of mechanisms. Rethinking Food Governance, Report 3. London, Centre for Food Policy at City University of London.
https://foodresearch.org.uk/publications
/12-tools-for-connecting-food-policy-
a-typology-of-mechanisms/		Examines how food policymaking in England – and in other countries – could be better connected, in ways that would lead to more coherent and effective policy.
Food systems policy tool
Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition. 2021. Policy Tool. London, Global Panel.
https://www.glopan.org/policy_tool/		Provides a framework to stimulate country-level dialogue and support the development of realistic public and private sector actions. It follows a food systems approach, using the food system as a framework to support the multisector collaborative action required to deliver high-quality diets, as well as supporting other agricultural, health, environmental and economic policies.
Untapped Opportunities for Climate Action: An Assessment of Food Systems in Nationally Determined Contributions
Global Alliance for the Future of Food. 2022. Untapped Opportunities for Climate Action: An Assessment of Food Systems in Nationally Determined Contributions.
https://futureoffood.org/wp-content/
uploads/2022/03/assessment-of-food
-systems-in-ndcs.pdf		Comprehensively assesses how 14 countries have incorporated food systems into their NDCs to date. Designed as a toolkit for policymakers and other interested stakeholders, the assessments, country case studies, framework, and summary report that make up the full suite of materials highlight the many opportunities for governments to use food systems transformation to drive significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions, as well as other health, environmental and social benefits.
Enhancing NDCs for food systems: Recommendations for decision-makers
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). 2020. Enhancing NDCs for food systems. Recommendations for decision-makers. Berlin.
https://climatefocus.com/wp-content
/uploads/2022/06/200909_WWF
_NDC_Food_final_low.pdf		The paper by WWF, in cooperation with UNEP, EAT, and Climate Focus, gives an overview of the role of and opportunities for the food system to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and summarizes how it is currently featured in NDCs. It also provides suggestions for policies and measures that could be included in NDCs for activities across the food system. These recommendations are meant to serve as a starting point for discussions, and future development and to provide a clear way towards measurable, actionable outcomes within NDCs.
Food, Environment, Land and Development (FELD) Action Tracker
Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU). 2024. Food, Environment, Land and Development (FELD) Action Tracker. In: FELD Action Tracker.
https://feldactiontracker.org/		This strategic initiative under the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) Coalition is dedicated to providing practical support to countries’ transformations of food and land use systems by analysing national policies; by tracking the resulting implementation and other related actions; by identifying good practices to be shared on a dedicated platform; and by assessing specific impact and overall progress against national and global strategies and targets under the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. The FELD programme and its methodologies are designed to support countries and their partners in devising, implementing and improving effective and ambitious policies for transforming their food and land-use systems and practices.
COP28 Agriculture, Food and Climate National Action Toolkit
Bakhtary, H., Rynearson, A., Fleckenstein, M., Nelson, W., Fong, P., Seggel, A., Crumpler, N.K. et al. 2023. COP28 Agriculture, Food and Climate National Action Toolkit – Taking stock of good practices, initiatives, and tools for food system transformation through Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans. Gand, WWF.
https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle
/20.500.14283/cc9049en		Serves as a key resource for national policymakers and decision-makers aiming to accelerate and align national efforts on climate action and food and agriculture system transformation. It provides a summary of priority actions, gives an overview of good examples of NDCs and NAPs and how they integrate agriculture and food system measures, and, lastly, presents an overview of existing initiatives, platforms, and tools that can help governments in developing and implementing agriculture and food system policy measures as part of their NDCs and NAPs.
Food Forward NDCs
WWF. 2024. Food Forward NDCs.
https://foodforwardndcs.panda.org/		This guidance tool supports the enhancement and implementation of NDC ambitions for agriculture and food systems transformation. It will help countries strengthen their NDCs by providing easy and accessible content to identify policy measures and practices and information about their climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development benefits.
Building Circularity into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Learning for Nature. 2023. Building Circularity into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)– A Practical Toolbox. In: Learning for Nature. UNEP, UNDP & UNFCCC.
https://www.learningfornature.org/en/building-circularity-into-nationally-determined-contributions/		Aims to support countries to identify, prioritize, implement and track circular economy interventions for increased ambition and implementation of their NDCs. It aims to provide policymakers with a methodology and tools to help:
  1. assess and identify greenhouse gas emissions hotspots from material use to prioritize sectors and/or subsectors in the NDC for circular economy interventions for increased climate ambition;
  2. assess and select circular economy interventions in prioritized sectors for the NDC;
  3. identify policy instruments and indicators for the implementation of selected circular economy interventions in the NDC; and
  4. track and report progress in the national Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement.
The toolbox is divided into four stages to leverage a country’s policy cycle. Each stage includes a set of steps and key questions to consider as well as tools and case studies
Hotspot Analysis Tool For Sustainable Consumption And Production
One Planet Network. 2024. Hotspot Analysis Tool for Sustainable Consumption and Production to support science-based national policy frameworks. In: SCP Hotspot Analysis. UNEP.
https://scp-hat.org/		Provides two modules to analyse hotspots of unsustainable consumption and production. In addition, standard reports provide more comprehensive information tailored to your needs, and in the Methods & Data section users can learn more about and download all the data used.
Adaptation, Biodiversity and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map)
FAO. 2024. Adaptation, Biodiversity and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map). FAO.
http://abc-map.org/		This is an all-in-one tool to assess the environmental impact of projects and investments in the agriculture, forestry and land use sector. ABC-Map is an open-source geospatial app based on Google Earth Engine. It integrates global datasets including climate data from ERA5, land cover data from the European Space Agency, and biodiversity data from the World Database on Protected Areas. It provides users with comprehensive assessments in three key areas: adaptation, biodiversity, and carbon. Users can input project details and quickly assess climate vulnerabilities, biodiversity impacts, and carbon reduction potential. ABC-Map aims to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the UNFCCC, CBD, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification by enhancing their capacity to plan and monitor climate-resilient agricultural and land-use projects effectively.
Nationally Determined Contribution Expert Tool (NEXT)
FAO. 2024. Nationally Determined Contribution Expert Tool (NEXT). In FAO.
http://clh-ckan.apps.fao.org/dataset/
ac7bada1-da53-4e5f-90b2-67660eef0ec8
/resource/71e5c0b4-cc00-4d1f-acb3
-dd66635c3bcf		NEXT is a greenhouse gas accounting tool developed by FAO to support annual environmental impact assessment for the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector. NEXT provides a 30-year time series of annual and cumulated estimates of carbon removal and greenhouse gas emissions reductions from climate actions made by Parties to the Paris Agreement. The NEXT tool was specifically designed to align with the enhanced transparency framework of the Paris Agreement, facilitating the tracking of NDCs as outlined in the modalities, procedures and guidelines. It provides a detailed temporal series of results and a broad range of indicators, including the social value of carbon, offering a comprehensive assessment of environmental and economic impacts related to mitigation targets. Moreover, NEXT supports countries in interpreting, tracking and enhancing the ambition of their NDCs, thereby contributing to the global stocktake process of the Paris Agreement in a coherent manner.
Climate Risk Toolbox
FAO. 2023. Climate Risk Toolbox – Guiding material for climate risk screening. Rome.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cc2909en		Supports the design of climate-resilient agricultural investment projects and plans, by allowing users to conduct climate risk screenings through advanced climate-related geospatial information and data.
Global Stocktake Explorer
Climate Policy Radar. 2024. Global Stocktake Explorer. London.
https://gst1.org/		Supports the analysis of inputs to the first Global Stocktake. These include thousands of inputs that were submitted via the Global Stocktake Information Portal, and other input documents available on other UNFCCC portals such as the NAP Central portal. Key climate action topics under the themes of mitigation, adaptation, means of implementation and crosscutting have also been labelled in the text using machine-learning methods supervised by a team of climate policy experts and data scientists. These are reflected in the filters that you can use to understand and analyse the inputs in addition to the search functionality.
Nationally Determined Contributions Tracking Tool
Download the tool
User manual: Umulisa, V., Schiettecatte, L-S., Bloise, M., Crumpler, K., Prosperi, P., Salvatore, M. & Bernoux, M. 2023. The Nationally Determined Contributions Tracking Tool user manual. Rome, FAO.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cc4960en		Facilitates countries in collecting the information required to track progress made in implementing and achieving their NDCs. Based on the information available in each country, the user-friendly tool compares planned versus implemented mitigation and adaptation actions, and estimates the greenhouse gas reduction achieved thereafter compared to the sectoral and/or national baseline and NDC target scenario. Overall, the tool is designed to support governments, national experts and practitioners involved in the preparation, implementation, updates, revision and reporting of all sectors covered by the NDC.
Food Waste Index Report 2024
UNEP. 2024. Food Waste Index Report 2024. Think Eat Save: Tracking Progress to Halve Global Food Waste. Nairobi.
https://wedocs.unep.org/
20.500.11822/45230		Provides the most comprehensive global assessment of food waste data and analysis, and provides a spotlight on solutions to reduce food waste. It plays a pivotal role in bridging food and environmental agendas through comprehensive data analysis and strategic insights. By tracking global progress towards SDG Target 12.3 to halve food waste by 2030, the report highlights critical areas for intervention and collaboration. It emphasizes the compounding benefits of reducing food waste, such as mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and addressing food insecurity amidst global hunger challenges. The report underscores the significant environmental impact of food waste, generating 8–10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while illustrating that food waste is not solely a problem of affluent nations. The report calls on countries to utilize the Food Waste Index to develop robust national baselines and track progress, urging integration into national climate plans (NDCs) and biodiversity strategies (NBSAPs) to enhance sustainability efforts. Overall, the report serves as a critical tool for policymakers, businesses and communities worldwide to collaboratively address food waste, enhance resilience in food systems, and advance global environmental goals.
Changing behaviour to help more people waste less food
Goodwin, L., Blondinn, S., Bassett, G., Roberts, M., Wistrand, L., White, H., Swannell, R., Leib, E.B., Plekenpol, R. & Rouse, H. 2022. Changing behaviour to help more people waste less food: a guide. Nairobi, UNEP & Washington, DC, WRI (World Resources Institute)
https://champions123.org/sites/
default/files/2022-09/Champions_12.3
_Playbook_HIGH-RESOLUTION.pdf		Aims to help key actors in the food system focus on how they can help consumers reduce food waste through behaviour change. It is specifically aimed at household food waste, where the majority of waste (61 percent) occurs.
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This is a working draft intended for piloting at country level. Features and content are subject to updates as the piloting is completed. We invite you to share your feedback by completing this short survey. Disclaimer Icon