Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at the 2022 UN Climate Change COP 27 Conference in Egypt says agriculture has finally gotten its ‘day’ in the global effort to deal with the climate crisis. Vilsack spoke with reporters by phone from COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Vilsack; “Agriculture and food has been elevated in the global climate discussions for the first time ever. We just had a ‘Agriculture and Adaptation Day,’ specifically designating agriculture, which has not happened before.”
While the U.S. highlighted its own efforts to hold down global warming; “Starting with the president’s remarks, where he made reference to the historic commitment, conservation resources under the Inflation Reduction Act. I had the opportunity to co-lead the Aim for Climate Leadership effort, where we discussed significant progress, doubling the investment from the initial investment of $4 billion to now over eight billion, including an increase by the United States of $500 million dollars over its initial $1 billion pledge.”
With more than 300 million for 65 new, small grant projects and 25 million for methane research and better fertilizer use in Asia and South America. But biggest polluters China and India must do more.
Vilsack; “I think there’s still work to be done with reference to India, and the hope would be that they begin to see the responsibility that they have as a very important country—a very large country from a population perspective.”
While Vilsack says China has made general commitments to become carbon-neutral by 2060, versus 2050 for the U.S., which will hold its own climate conference here next May, to spur more private investment in climate-smart Ag.
