Priority innovations and investment recommendations for COP28

The Innovation Commission for Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture has prepared notes on innovations that mitigate the climate impact of agriculture and promote climate adaptation in low- and middle-income countries. The seven innovation notes linked below were produced at the request of the COP28 Presidency. For adaptation, the Commission focused on innovations that would serve those most vulnerable to climate change: smallholder farmers and landless laborers in low- and middle-income countries. For mitigation innovations, it focused on those that would deliver substantial co-benefits to low- and middle-income countries.

To identify these innovations, the Commission reviewed the literature, consulted a range of experts, and solicited inputs on innovation areas from researchers and practitioners from the government, the private sector, international organizations, and civil society. The Commission will continue to explore other promising innovation areas with guidance from an advisory group.

These innovations are categorized as ready to transition to scale or earlier-stage. The Commission adopted strict criteria for classifying innovations as ready to transition to scale, focusing on innovations with rigorous evidence of impact and value for money, not only for the innovation itself but also for policies to increase its adoption. The Commission also made judgments about whether there was a plausible pathway to scale. The second category is earlier-stage innovations, which have the potential to generate high returns and even be transformative.

Individual innovation cases:

1. Improved Weather and Seasonal Forecasts
2. Training for Rainwater Harvesting
3. Microbial Fertilizer
4. Innovations to Reduce Livestock Methane Emissions
5. Digital Agriculture
6. Climate-Resilient Social Protection
7. Alternative proteins

Click below to read the consolidated document with all the innovation cases