Our Senior International Affairs Manager, Andrea Perez, attended the Bonn Climate Change Conference to highlight the urgent need to reduce nitrogen pollution caused by animal agriculture.

The Conference, part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a critical moment which shapes the agenda for COP30 discussions on climate targets in November in Brazil.

Intensive animal agriculture contributes to nitrogen pollution in two critical ways. Firstly, vast amounts of the world’s crops are fed to intensively farmed animals, which require synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to grow efficiently. However, nearly 80 per cent of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers run-off into waterways or land. Secondly, intensively farmed animals produce high volumes of nitrogen-rich manure. When not properly managed, this manure produces reactive forms of nitrogen which contribute to air pollution, seriously impacting human and animal health. 

To raise awareness of this issue and highlight the need for action, we hosted a workshop, spoke at events and strengthened partnerships and connections with countries, UN agencies and NGOs.

Countries debate solutions to nitrogen mismanagement

On Monday 16 June, we co-hosted a workshop focused on sustainable nitrogen management, not only crucial for preventing nitrogen pollution and tackling climate change, but also to benefit biodiversity, and food and nutrition security. Co-partners for this event included the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Nitrogen Management System (INMS) and the International Nitrogen Initiative.

Over twenty countries attended the workshop including Brazil, Australia, Switzerland, Senegal, Paraguay, Uruguay and Germany, with others, including Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Japan, Maldives, Trinidad and Tobago and Türkiye, joining online. Countries were invited to share challenges and potential solutions from their experiences, and to consider how to build on initiatives and promote governance at national, regional and global levels.

Need for food systems approach in climate action acknowledged

Andrea attended the ‘Workshop on systemic and holistic approaches to implementation of climate action on agriculture, food systems and food security, understanding cooperation an integration into plans’ on 17 June, representing the Research and Independent NGOs (RINGO) constituency. Civil society is represented at the UNFCCC in nine constituencies, and one of them is RINGO. RINGO works in the science-policy interface to address critical challenges for achieving the Paris Agreement Goals.
Discussions at the workshop, attended by countries including the UK, Switzerland, Togo, South Korea, Egypt, Uganda and South Sudan, included the relevance of a ‘food systems’ approach for implementing climate action for agriculture and food security.

Andrea spoke of the importance of acknowledging that how we produce and consume food has deep interconnections between climate, biodiversity, livelihoods, human and animal health, soil health, and food and nutrition security. She also shared evidence showing how climate- and nature-friendly farming practices are beneficial in tackling agriculture’s contribution to the climate crisis.

Food on the agenda at COP30

Andrea comments:

Bonn Climate Change Conference is where plans are laid ahead of COP30 in November. It’s really encouraging that the COP presidency is highlighting the role of agriculture, food systems, biodiversity, and land degradation. We can’t seriously address climate change without rethinking the way we produce and consume food.

By hosting this pivotal workshop that brought together countries to consider tangible strategies for nitrogen management, we are encouraging decision makers to understand the importance of moving towards more climate- and nature-friendly agricultural practices. Evidence shows that holistic approaches can help enhance resilience. Agricultural productivity is already threatened by extreme weather events and degraded land but by raising awareness of the interconnectedness of the way we farm and consume animals, and the threat that climate change poses, we can make progress for a more positive future.

Read our new report Climate Doom Loop: Factory Farming’s toll on animals, farmers and Food.

Compassion makes headway at Bonn Climate Change Conference