2025 Putting agrifood systems in the centre of global climate, biodiversity and environment action
Reproduced from the FAO website here.
FAO’s 80th anniversary was also a pivotal year for the teams working under the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment.
From Biodiversity and Climate communities convening in Rome to COP30 in Belém, and from Sahelian rangelands to Cambodian rice fields, OCB worked across FAO to make the case that food and agriculture are not only affected by climate change and biodiversity loss; they are central to solving them.
Agrifood systems in the global spotlight
The year opened with the resumed session of the Biodiversity COP at FAO Headquarters. Bringing together the biodiversity world at FAO HQ sent a clear signal that biodiversity goals cannot be met without transforming agrifood systems. This includes the vital work on the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework monitoring system that includes more than 20 indicators entrusted to FAO.
On climate, FAO hosted the 2025 Forum of the Standing Committee on Finance, along with the Second workshop in 2025 under the Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue on aligning finance flows with the Paris Agreement, bringing climate finance negotiators and agriculture experts together. With the FAST Partnership and the GEF Food Systems Integrated Programme all meeting in the same week, the focus on the critical role of climate finance for triggering agrifood systems transformation has never been so central. These meetings also helped to draw attention to the chronic underinvestment of climate finance in food and agriculture.
Over the course of the year, and concluding in Belém in November, OCB assisted COP presidencies and Parties in moving from political commitments to delivery. The Resilient Agriculture Investment for net-Zero land degradation accelerator, launched by the Brazilian COP30 Presidency, will move forward through the FAST Partnership. FAO’s work on bioeconomy metrics and indicators now underpins the COP 30 Bioeconomy Challenge Working Group on Metrics. The AGRI-NBSAP Support Initiative, launched by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) and the Colombian COP16 Presidency, became a key channel for helping countries embed biodiversity goals into agrifood policies.
The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture tasked FAO with establishing a global pollinator platform, addressing a major governance gap linked to food security and resilience. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture expanded its reach, with new countries joining, Benefit-sharing Fund projects in 45 countries, and continued growth of the global germplasm system.
Building stronger data and science for transformation.
In 2025, OCB sharpened the evidence on why agrifood systems matter and which solutions deliver results.
At COP30, we delivered clear data on how climate extremes, including extreme heat, are affecting food security and agriculture; how countries are prioritizing agrifood system solutions in their Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans, and where climate finance needs to be directed.
Our data and indicators are increasingly used as global reference points. From the state of the world assessments on plant and forest genetic resources to bioeconomy indicators and new findings on plastics in agriculture, we are strengthening the scientific foundation for policy dialogue, investment and action.
A trusted partner for country solutions
OCB’s country support continued to expand in 2025. More governments asked FAO to help shape or update their climate and biodiversity strategies (NDCs, NAPs and NBSAPs), turn commitments into action, and track results. OCB's range of tools and methodologies were at the core of our response including the NDC Agrifood System Helpdesk. The GIAHS programme also grew to 104 systems worldwide, evolving from recognition toward a more comprehensive model that includes monitoring, implementation and direct support to communities.
OCB has also increased its technical support to ensure integrity of FAO's portfolio of work. This included a rigorous review of the renewable energy components in more than 70 FAO projects. FAO also strengthened its leadership on environmental and social safeguards by setting standards, training staff, and screening all new projects.
Record resource mobilization in a tight funding landscape
Despite a challenging funding environment, FAO achieved record results. Through its partnership with the Global Environment Facility, The FAO-GEF portfolio surpassed $2 billion in grants and leveraged over $14 billion in co-financing in support of environment, climate and biodiversity action through agriculture and food systems in countries. FAO’s Green Climate Fund portfolio also reached a new high, with more than USD 460 million in FAO-led projects approved in a single year, including $222 million for the Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa’s Great Green Wall (SURAGGWA) Initiative. Over five years, the GCF Readiness portfolio has doubled, now supporting more than 70 countries.
FAO's technical expertise also extended to new funding windows. Seven countries secured finance from the new Kunming Biodiversity Fund in its first investment round, and work is underway with four countries on proposals for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
Resource mobilization has been matched by stronger delivery, with increased disbursements, implementation reporting, and evaluations. In an uncertain investment climate, these results reflect strong collaboration between FAO technical divisions and decentralized offices, as well as with countries and the funds and growing confidence in FAO’s ability to deliver impact at scale.
Getting the Message Out
In 2025, OCB strengthened its communication and outreach to bring agrifood systems more firmly into the global conversation. Through op-eds and interviews, FAO experts highlighted priorities ranging from bioeconomy and climate finance to GIAHS and the impacts of extreme heat on agriculture.
These messages reached a wide audience through outlets including Time Magazine, The Economist, The Guardian, Argentina’s Infobae, The Jakarta Post, and others, helping translate evidence into accessible narratives and reinforce the role of agrifood systems in climate, biodiversity and environmental solutions.
Looking ahead to 2026
As we close a demanding and productive year, our attention is already turning to 2026. The year ahead will bring three COPs, the GEF Assembly, the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and a crowded agenda of FAO regional conferences and governing bodies.
In 2026, OCB will continue to ensure that agriculture and food system solutions are reflected in global decisions, that research and data translate into action on the ground in support of farmers, pastoralists, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and rural communities, and that agrifood systems are at the centre of climate, biodiversity and environmental solutions.
Comments
Post a Comment