In September 2021, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a new report on the relationship between climate change and sustainable development goals (Climate Development and Sustainable Development: Demonstrating the Interconnections). Of the 17 SDGs, the one affected by all seven indicators is SDG 2, "Zero hunger," and requires the use of scientific and technological innovations to address climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

Today, September 29th, is the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste as designated by the United Nations. Globally, food loss and waste account for 38% of the total energy used in the global food system, which could feed 2 billion people, and 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to food loss and waste. Goal 12.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to reduce food loss and waste, and action to reduce food loss and waste cannot wait.

The United Nations Food Systems Summit, an international discussion on food system transformation, was held on September 23, 2021. This summit, positioned as the “People's Summit”, is the first time that a UN summit has been held so openly. The Chair's Summary Statement of Aactions listed five key areas on how to make global progress on the SDGs and ensure basic human rights, namely, (1) Nourish all people, (2) Boost nature-based solutions, (3) Advance equitable livelihoods, decent work and empowered communities, (4) Build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses, and (5) Support means of implementation.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) formulated the "Green Food System Strategy" in May 2021, emphasizing the importance of innovations that can reduce environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions without affecting food productivity. While there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all innovation, sharing knowledge on promoting social implementation among regions that share similar environmental and social conditions is expected to ensure food and nutrition security and accelerate climate change response. For Japan, which is located in the Asian monsoon region, it is extremely important to promote innovation in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors through networking with agricultural research and development institutions active in the region. JIRCAS will hold an international symposium online on November 17 with the theme “The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in Achieving Sustainable Food Systems in the Asia Monsoon Region - A Platform for International Collaboration”.

According to a report released at the African Green Revolution Forum Summit on September 7, 2021, 75% of the factors driving the impressive growth in agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000 were due to the expansion of arable land, with crop yield improvement contributing only 25%. As the region's population is projected to continue to grow, increasing productivity on existing farmland is one of the most important measures to increase the resilience and sustainability of the food system. The JIRCAS Food Program is developing technologies that can contribute to regional and global food and nutrition security through two projects: “African rice farming system” and “African upland farming system”.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) held its 7th World Conservation Congress from September 3 to 11, 2021. The IUCN has been publishing the Red List of Threatened Species since 1964 as comprehensive information on the global conservation status of animals, plants and fungi. Currently, 28% of the species assessed, or more than 38,500 species, are reported to be threatened with extinction. The conference adopted a resolution that includes protecting 80% of the Amazon by 2025, targeting 30% of terrestrial and marine areas for conservation, stopping deep-sea mining in the ocean, and the international community adopting an ambitious 'One Health' approach.

In advance of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) to be held on September 23, 2021, Professor von Braun, Chair of the UNFSS Scientific Group, and his colleagues have published an article in Nature that proposes seven priorities for building a sustainable, just, and resilient food system.

2021 is the year in which food systems transformation as a global agenda has attracted special attention with the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit and the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit. With these opportunities in mind, the Advisory Board for Promoting Science and Technology Diplomacy to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan compiled the recommendation, “Planetary health: STI for food systems transformation”.    

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is held every year to discuss the framework for international cooperation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are considered to be the cause of the climate change problem. The Global Research Alliance (GRA) was established as a framework to contribute to international cooperation in the field of research related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and the response to climate change. In order to enhance the presence of Japan's research capabilities in the field of livestock production, a domestic network meeting is scheduled to be held online on September 16, 2021, bringing together relevant government departments and domestic researchers in the field to share the current situation and formulate future policies.