WFO brought the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency’s voice to the 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue, calling for farmer-centred, locally adapted solutions.

On 21–22 April 2026, the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), as the coordinating organisation of the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, participated in the 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin. WFO brought the farmers’ perspective to discussions on closing the mitigation gap towards 1.5°C, mobilising climate finance, advancing the implementation of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for adaptation, and reinforcing the role of multilateral processes in driving concrete action ahead of UNFCCC COP31 (9–20 November, Antalya, Türkiye).

The Dialogue was co-hosted by the  German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety together with the COP31 Presidency of Türkiye and the COP31 Presidency of Negotiations of Australia, and gathered Climate Ministries from 40 countries. Held in a context of geopolitical instability and energy market volatility, it confirmed its role as a key political platform for building trust and aligning priorities ahead of COP31, with a shared focus on closing the ambition and implementation gaps and moving from commitments to delivery.

From Berlin to Antalya: priorities on the road to COP31

A strong consensus emerged that COP31 must mark the transition of the Paris Agreement into an implementation phase, building on the outcomes of COP30, including the Global Implementation Accelerator and the COP30 roadmaps on fossil fuels and deforestation. Mitigation remained central to the discussions, alongside recognition that the world is not on track to meet the 1.5°C goal, with attention to the energy transition, electrification, renewables, strengthening energy security, reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets, methane reduction and action on deforestation.

Climate finance was identified both as a critical enabler and a major bottleneck. Participants stressed the need to make finance accessible, affordable and effectively linked to implementation, particularly in developing countries, and highlighted the importance of mobilising private investments, reducing the cost of capital and reforming multilateral development banks.

The farmers’ message: four priorities for credible delivery

The UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency reminded Parties that agriculture is on the frontline of climate impacts and that farmers face existential threats from extreme weather that jeopardise their ability to produce food and deliver the ecosystem services society depends on. At the same time, the sector holds significant potential for adaptation and mitigation that remains largely unrecognised and underfunded.

The Constituency called for farmer-centred and locally adapted solutions and set out four priorities:

• Site-specific practical solutions to reduce emissions and increase removals on farms and in rural areas, supported by national GHG inventories that better capture farm-level progress.
• Closing the adaptation gap in developing and vulnerable contexts, through dedicated adaptation finance and long-term investment in agricultural resilience.
• Accessible and predictable climate finance for all farmers — particularly women, youth and family farmers — leveraging farmer organisations and cooperatives as trusted intermediaries.
• A whole-of-economy energy transition that integrates rural economies and recognises the diversity of farming systems and agriculture’s multifunctional role in renewable energy, carbon storage and bio-based materials.

A recurring theme across the sessions was the gap between multilateral commitments and implementation on the ground. Several delegations observed that current UNFCCC processes are not yet fully adapted to an implementation phase and called for greater involvement of implementers, finance ministries and stakeholders. References to agriculture and farmers during the Dialogue remained limited, confirming the need to strengthen their visibility in the process. Farmers are both highly affected by climate change and key actors in implementation, and their meaningful inclusion is essential for any credible delivery agenda.

Looking ahead to COP31

Looking ahead, COP31 in Antalya is expected to focus on implementation and delivery, strengthen the link between Nationally Determined Contributions and real-world action, scale up and improve access to climate finance, enhance the role of partnerships and country platforms, and integrate the Action Agenda more effectively into the UNFCCC process. Delivering on these objectives will require inclusive governance, practical, locally grounded solutions, and stronger links between policy, finance, and those who implement climate action on the ground.

WFO and the Farmers’ Constituency will continue to work constructively within the UNFCCC so that farmers’ realities help shape global goals and action, and so that the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the Right to Food and the global commitment to sustainable development are achieved together, leaving no farmer behind.

Photo cover by ©WFO