The green agricultural revolution

For too long, agriculture and countryside development have been viewed as part of the climate problem, rather than as part of its solution. Therefore Gerda Verburg, Chair of the 17th session of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development, decided to put the agricultural industry right at the top of the CSD climate agenda.

By Maartje Smeets

Chaired by Verburg, 180 nations gathered this year during the 17th meeting of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) in support of a call to place the development of agriculture at the centre of sustainability and the fight against climate change. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed the hope that the meeting would contribute to the climate discussions to be held during COP 15 in Copenhagen. In Verburgs words: "Agriculture must no longer be seen as a problem, but a solution. We have to combine all the knowledge we have and use our powers of reasoning, locally and internationally, to ensure we shall be able to feed the worlds population sustainably in three decades time, with respect for humankind, animals and the environment" read more ยป

This article is a part of the magazine 'Climate Adaptation in Europe'

December 2009