The agricultural sector is facing immense challenges, including the need to attain global food security and the need to adapt to and mitigate against climate change. IPC's 2009 Spring Seminar in Salzburg brought together experts from around the world to address the role of trade in meeting these challenges.
IPC and ICTSD have launched an international platform on Climate Change, Agriculture and Trade. This interdisciplinary platform of climate change, agricultural and trade experts will promote increased policy coherence to ensure effective climate change mitigation and adaptation, food security and a more open and equitable global food system. Just released: Statement and Recommendations: A Copenhagen Agreement Should Consider Agriculture
On March 17, IPC released a statement offering ten considerations on the importance of an open global food system during these very difficult economic times. The statement urges G-20 leaders not to lose sight of the food crisis when they meet in London on April 2. "Since the financial crisis has compounded the already difficult food crisis, the international community needs to take concrete steps to stem protectionist measures," commented IPC's CEO Charlotte Hebebrand. "IPC's diverse membership believes that trade plays a vital role for global food security."
Agricultural export restrictions have been widely criticized for exacerbating price increases and hindering the timely and sufficient procurement of food aid. IPC's latest Position Paper supports these assertions, showing that export restrictions have significant detrimental economic impacts yet are not subject to meaningful trade disciplines. Accordingly, the paper issues recommendations for alternative measures to protect food security and puts forth various options for strengthening trade disciplines related to export restrictions.
Increasing production of biofuels from agricultural feedstocks to meet ambitious mandates has led to calls for the inclusion of sustainability criteria for internationally traded biofuels and feedstocks. IPC is pleased to announce the release of a Discussion Paper that examines the WTO implications of social standards in biofuels sustainability criteria, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
About IPC
IPC promotes a more open and equitable global food system by pursuing pragmatic trade and development policies in food and agriculture to meet the world's growing needs. Find out more.
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