Healthy soils to combat climate change and end hunger
4 per 1000
Time: Thursday, 21. January 2021, 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. (CET), subsequent deep dive 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Languages: English, German
Summary:
The panel was moderated by Dr. Luu, the Executive Secretary of the “4 per 1000” Initiative. The German Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, send an opening video in which she stated the importance of healthy soils. Followed by Mr. Zornbach, Head of Division for Sustainability, Climate protection and Climate impacts at the BMEL who compared Soil to a Diamond.
Four panelists from different stakeholder groups gave impulse speeches: Claire Chenu (STC) was talking in behalf of science, Victoria Prentis (Under-Secretary of State, UK) presenting the governance side, Natacha Agbo (NGO Afris) speaking for NGO/Farmers Oganizations and Florence Jeantet (OP2B) for Agri-Food Businesses.
Key messages were:
- Soil is a diamond we need to polish carefully for the next generations
- Soil health is important for mitigation, adaptation and food security
- 4p1000, backed up by solid scientific findings, is one of the major instruments for the implementation of Paris Agreement
- In order to reverse the severe soil degaration globally, we need to improve our soil policy with the goal of paying farmers for taking care of soils
- The concept of twin regions, raises major interest as an instrument to achieve climate justice and international solidarity through the large-scale transformation to soil regeneration, agroecology and sustainable land management
- Living labs as a research approach with NGOs as key partners can bring the research and the farmers community closer together.