Sharing the US Animal Food Industry's Role as a Climate Solution at COP28

Written by: Mallory Gaines   |   November 30, 2023

The Conference of Parties (COP) has been gathering for over 30 years to hold formal negotiations within the United Nations (U.N.) Framework Convention on Climate Change. Last year, I discussed COP27, and this year, I am preparing to head to Dubai with the American Feed Industry Association’s President and CEO Constance Cullman for COP28.   

COP28 is committed to building consensus among countries to drive climate action. Emission reductions, energy transition, reform of land use and transforming food systems are all on the COP28 agenda. The host nation, the United Arab Emirates, is working to stake its claim that COP28 will move the needle and have a positive impact on sustainability and move the U.N. closer to achieving its climate goals.  

At COP21 in 2015, the world agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as compared to industrial levels by 2050. To meet this goal, the world must cut emissions in half by 2030, which is only seven more years away. The pressure is on countries and the private and public sectors to make commitments and do their part.  

Originally, agriculture showed up on the fringes of the climate and sustainability discussions. Rightly so, as fossil fuels and other industries that contribute to climate emissions appeared front and center during climate debates. That changed dramatically with the launch of the U.N. Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in 2021. Agriculture, its practices, how and what people eat became key highlights of the summit, with countries pledging to drive food systems to change to meet their sustainability goals.  

Some of the detractors without scientific basis, reared their heads again with the activist mantra that animal agriculture is bad for the environment, “big” ag is polluting our food supply, and that land used for growing crops to produce feed should be converted to grow plant-based protein for human food.  

The AFIA and other agriculture groups collaborated with the U.S government and other forward-thinking agricultural governments to fight this activism back at the UNFSS, touting the importance of animal protein as a nutrient dense food option in the food supply; the strides animal ag has made in reducing its environmental footprint; and feed as a large part of the solution for a “cleaner” planet.  

COP27, COP28 and the UNFSS are all related as they bring international leaders together to hold dialogues on food security and sustainability, and the anti-animal agriculture sentiment is embedded within them. That is why it is imperative that associations, like the AFIA, participate to show the great strides the animal food industry is making in being part of the climate solution.  

Through ration innovation, feed additives, feed efficiency, by-/co-products and upcycling, the animal food industry is providing tools to help farmers and ranchers raise their livestock and poultry more sustainably. The agricultural community is committed to feeding an ever-growing population and is now including sustainability as a priority to meeting the world’s climate goals.  

We will be at COP28, holding our government accountable and ensuring animal agriculture and animal feed are part of the food and climate discussions. We are speaking to different groups about the animal food industry’s important role and seeking to further our partnerships abroad to include animal food in a solutions and science-based approach to tackling climate goals.  

We look forward to supporting our AFIA members, so their businesses can continue to grow. Sustainability and climate change affect us all, whether from a policy, business, or security perspective. Let your association work for you to ensure business continuity on COP28’s international stage.