COP 29: reflections and the road to Belém

As expected by most countries and organizations, COP 29, although very well organized, did not bring significant progress to the climate agenda. Despite this, the event reinforced the importance of continuing to work together and highlighted that global attention is now focused on COP 30, which will take place in Belém in 2025. More than a pause, this break represents an opportunity: we have a year to work hard, strengthen alliances and ensure that necessary solutions, such as alternative proteins, receive the attention they deserve.

Even though the results of COP 29 fell short of expectations, the strengthening of the global community focused on food and climate is a step forward that cannot be ignored. Today, we are more aligned and prepared to move forward with this conversation, both at COP and in other strategic spaces. This collective strength will be essential to ensure that, in Belém, the focus is on the urgency of transforming food systems and redirecting resources towards solutions with the greatest possible positive impact.

Progress and challenges of COP 29

The main result of this edition was the agreement to allocate US$300 billion annually to the climate finance by 2030. Although far from the US$1,3 trillion initially demanded by countries in the Global South, the figure represents an important direction. The final text, however, mentions food only once, stressing that mitigation and adaptation measures to be implemented should not put food production at risk, but fails to provide details on how funding will be directed towards sustainable food systems. Furthermore, rural producers and small farmers, considered vulnerable groups, were not mentioned in the final document, which was criticized by civil society.

Next year, the debate will focus on the so-called “Road from Baku to Belém”, with the challenge of transforming the US$300 billion annually into a total of US$1,3 trillion. This scaling will require diversifying financing sources, mobilizing not only public resources, but also private investment, international partnerships and innovative mechanisms. This integrated approach will be essential to ensure that climate solutions are robust and effective. GFI Brazil is committed to presenting projects that demonstrate the positive impact of alternative food systems, especially in economies of the Global South. We will draw on the lessons learned from previous COPs to propose practical solutions and expand opportunities for climate finance.

Another highlight of this edition was the Methane Statement, which has sparked controversy by focusing exclusively on emissions from organic waste, which accounts for around 18% of global methane emissions, while completely ignoring livestock, which contributes around 40%. More than 30 countries have committed to including targets to reduce methane from organic waste in their future NDCs, but this approach reflects a resistance to directly addressing the environmental impact of animal product production – and reinforces the need for organisations like GFI to step up the debate on scalable solutions in the food industry.

Additionally, the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture (SSJWA) launched a online portal for sharing projects related to agriculture and food security, with the potential to attract investment and facilitate the expansion of climate initiatives in agriculture. This tool, in development since COP 27, seeks to integrate a broader and more inclusive approach to food systems, which encompasses multiple sectors of the economy and all links in the food production and consumption chain.

GFI Brazil will continue to work alongside negotiators and partners to present successful projects and seek resources that amplify the impact of initiatives aligned with this agenda. This work is essential to ensure that food systems are prioritized in future climate discussions, especially in the “Road from Baku to Belém” that will unfold until COP 30 in Brazil.

Finally, the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers, which seeks to harmonize existing programs and integrate farmers, especially women and rural communities, into food-related climate actions. Although the proposal is very promising for building inclusive and sustainable climate solutions, its operationalization still needs to be detailed, and we will closely monitor its developments.

Opportunities at Brazilian NDC

During COP 29, Brazil, United Kingdom e Emirados Arabes Unidos submitted updates to their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC's). In the case of Brazil, the review of the NDC is associated with the Climate Plan and its sectoral plans, expected to be completed by March 2025. There is a growing expectation that the final versions will be more inclusive and ambitious.

GFI Brazil sees this review as a crucial opportunity to integrate policies that encourage sustainable food production, especially protein for human consumption, as part of a food strategy that is more aligned with climate challenges. Incorporating specific targets for food systems will be essential to position Brazil as a leader in sustainable solutions, contributing significantly to the mitigation of global emissions.

A positive path for Bethlehem

The greatest legacy of COP 29 lies not in the final texts or the commitments made, but in the strengthening of a more united global food and climate community that is determined to address climate challenges. This alignment will be key to ensuring that food systems are at the center of the discussions at COP 30.

Throughout COPs 27, 28 and 29, GFI Brazil collaborated with several partners to consolidate the food systems agenda at the center of climate negotiations. The next challenge is to transform this connection into concrete climate actions, presenting robust projects that demonstrate the positive impact of new ways of producing proteins as a viable, scalable and strategic solution in the fight against climate change.

COP 30 will be a unique opportunity to advance this agenda. With strategic planning, resource mobilization and strengthened partnerships, we are confident that Belém will have the potential to generate structural changes in the global climate agenda.

Belém awaits us and, with it, the chance to transform the potential of alternative proteins into concrete and lasting solutions for a more sustainable future.