Ontario Grain Farmer April/May 2023

Cover story 6 WHILE GLOBAL NEGOTIATIONSand agreements on climate and the environment can seem far removed from our daily lives in Canada, they can significantly impact Canadian policymaking. This is why when the world descended on Montreal in December of 2022 for COP15 (the United Nations Biodiversity Conference) to negotiate a set of goals to guide global action through 2030, we were paying close attention. With more than 190 countries involved in the negotiations and a wide range of stakeholders from industries including mining, oil, fashion, and agriculture on site for the weeks-long negotiations, you can imagine that consensus was not an easy thing to come by. While not the sole focus of the event, agriculture was a significant part of the discussions, with several of the negotiated 23 targets touching agriculture. And while there were representatives from both the domestic and international agriculture communities onsite, a number of groups were also present to protest modern agricultural technologies. These groups made some splashy headlines, but at the end of the day, science-based decision-making largely prevailed. This certainly did not happen by accident and resulted from a great deal of sustained effort from the agriculture industry to bring forward and advocate for reasonable, science-based decision-making that gives individual countries the flexibility to work towards joint goals with a domestic context in mind. The draft language used as a starting point for negotiation on several targets was very problematic for the agriculture sector and could have spelled disaster if adopted. In many cases, this was language that favoured ideology over science, and it was clear that Europe’s approach to agricultural policy was at the forefront. BALANCED RESULTS Fortunately, the final result of the conference and the agreed-upon targets were relatively balanced. This is good news for countries like Canada that are highly dependent on agriculture. And ultimately, it is good for biodiversity as we can collectively focus on taking science-based measures to protect biodiversity while at the same time continuing to sustainably grow enough food to feed the world and support global food security. Of the 23 targets being negotiated, Target 7, which is focused on pollution reduction, was among the most concerning for the agriculture sector. The draft text included language around the reduction in pesticide use by up to two-thirds. After extensive engagement from governments around the world, including the Canadian government, and industry stakeholders, the final language in Target 7 focuses on reducing the risk of pesticide pollution rather than the use. It refers to the role of integrated pest management, science as a basis, and the importance of taking into account food security and livelihoods. Arbitrary pesticide use reduction targets, as we have seen in Europe, would have been devastating for Canada. Canada is a world leader in pesticide regulation with a risk-based system that provides the utmost protection for human health and the environment while at the same time providing growers with timely access to innovative technologies that allow them to be more productive and more sustainable. Under Biodiversity and agriculture INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FINDS A BALANCE Pierre Petelle continued on page 8 • Delegates from more than 190 countries gathered in Montreal in December, 2022 for COP15, the United Nations Biodiversity Conference. • CropLife and other agriculture industry stakeholders participated in the conference. • While not the main focus of the conference, agriculture issues touched many of the 23 negotiated targets. • Agreed-upon targets were balanced and science-based, which is good news for Canada's agriculture industry. • Target 7, which focuses on pesticides, focuses on reducing the risk of pesticide pollution rather than their use. • Canada is a world leader in the adoption of best management practices for the stewardship of crop protection products. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW PIERRE PETELLE.

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