GEO-6 Chapter 4: Cross-Cutting Issues

The food system is increasing local to global pressures on ecosystems and the climate ( well established ). Farming is the most expansive human activity in the world and the principal user of fresh water. Food production is the main driver of biodiversity loss, a major polluter of air, fresh water and seawater, a leading source of soil degradation, and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Changing consumption patterns are both increasing these pressures and presenting new food security challenges resulting in malnourishment, including overnourishment, as well as undernourishment. Climate change, natural resource constraints, and demographic trends suggest that the challenge of producing and distributing nourishing and sustainable food for all continues to escalate and will necessitate significant changes in food production and consumption. {4.4.3}

low-income countries consume; resource efficiency has been stagnant and the environmental impacts of resource use have been growing at a rate commensurate with overall resource use; there are many economically attractive opportunities for resource efficiency in the short term; in the medium and long term resource efficiency creates better economic outcomes compared with business as usual; there are considerable co- benefits of resource efficiency for climate mitigation.{4.4.1} Coupled with efficiency improvements, transition to low- carbon energy sources has been accelerating globally over the last decade but it is still not sufficient to achieve the 2°C target of the Paris Agreement ( well established ), warranting bolder action in terms of technology innovation. Meanwhile the access of billions of poorer people to electricity and other modern energy services remains a challenge. {4.4.2}

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Cross-cutting Issues

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