Dairy at UN Climate Change Dialogues 2020 Meeting

DSF Director Brian Lindsay was one of only two delegates from the global business sector who recently spoke at the United Nations Climate Change Dialogues 2020 in the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture session on ‘Improved livestock management systems’.  The purpose of the meeting was to provide a platform for UN member parties and other stakeholders to showcase progress made in 2020 and exchange views and ideas in readiness for the forthcoming COP26 agenda that will take place in Glasgow, Scotland from November 1-12, 2021.

This year the livestock sector's importance for food security, economy, stewardship of landscapes, and the rural environment has been highlighted on many occasions.  One part of the wide-ranging UN Climate Change Dialogues was the Koronivia workshop on improved livestock management systems and this was where Brian presented.  Brian outlined the challenges and barriers to achieving change using the dairy sector as an example as well as highlighting how knowledge implementation and collaboration with those in a position to implement change at scale are a key part of the solution.  Brian was able to demonstrate the progressive and responsible approach the global dairy sector is taking to tackling climate change issues, in particular the role of the DSF.  One key point that was presented, was the need for new knowledge and technology to be designed and developed in a way that is accessible to the majority of the world’s livestock farmers, not just the large or the more established production units.

This opportunity highlights that data being gathered annually from DSF Members is of increasing importance to underpin the key messages the global dairy sector seeks to communicate.  In addition to Brian’s verbal input, many of the DSF’s recent publications and a dairy sector submission prepared by Global Dairy Platform are now available on the UN website and can be accessed here.