Free, Open-Source Tools developed by FAO are presented to EU Colleagues

The Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector accounts for around 20-25% of global anthropogenic emissions, and is currently one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases. It also is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss, which is a key pre-requisite for the resilience of ecosystems. However, the sector also has the potential to become a pillar in mitigating and adapting to climate change by reducing existing emissions at the farm level and along the production value chain; by enhancing climate resilience through climate-smart agriculture and biodiversity preservation and by transforming carbon sources into carbon sinks. 

Facing the challenges posed by climate change will require continuous interaction and feedback between public and private investments, AFOLU interventions and efficiency and efficacy assessments 

FAO developed a number of tools to face this challenge.  

The Ex-Ante Carbon-balance Tool (EX-ACT) suite of tools has multiple applications in the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector, ranging from ex ante appraisals of policy and project developments to biodiversity assessments and value chain analyses. The tools have a complementary nature, aiming at providing an overview of the impacts of human activities on natural capital and ecosystems. 

The FAO EX-Ante Carbon Balance Tool (EX-ACT) suite of tools was presented to staff of the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) and the Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA). FAO representatives and their EU colleagues discussed a number of potential projects on decarbonization, including in school meals. 

EX-ACT can be used to track a number of variables within the AFOLU sector, such as energy, infrastructure, management of soils, fisheries, aquaculture and more. The free, open-source tool was tested in more than 100 countries and is being used by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the World Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), among others.  

FAO has also developed the B-INTACTtool, which will increase accuracy and account for the ecological value and biodiversity sensitivity of project sites, as well as the EX-ACT VC tool, which allows policy makers to identify off-farm sources of greenhouse gas emissions and socio-economic benefits throughout the value chain. 

Download a flyer presenting EX-ACT toolhere  

More information on the suite of tools is available here.