CARBON BRIEF......We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight.                                                                                       COP26  countries have pledged to make nature a key focus of this year’s summit which will have nature-based solutions – such as ecosystem restoration – in their strategic plans for addressing climate change, but concerns about greenwashing and carbon-market rules still linger. The UN Committee on World Food Security met virtually for its 49th plenary session from 11 to 14 October. Key items on the agenda included the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report and following up on last month’s UN Food Systems Summit, as well as women’s empowerment and youth engagement in agriculture. A new report coordinated by the World Meteorological Association (WMO) has found that nearly 40% more people in Africa suffered from food insecurity in 2020 compared with 2019. The report attributed this to climate change, conflicts, pest outbreaks, economic crises and Covid-19. By 2030, it predicted up to 118 million “extremely poor” people would be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa.  WHAT: The 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gets underway in Glasgow on 31 October, with the world leaders’ summit on 1 November. Among the UK presidency’s four stated goals of COP26 are “secur[ing] global net-zero” by 2050, including by halting deforestation, and “adapt[ing] to protect communities and natural habitats”. Multiple outlets reported calls by environmental groups to postpone the summit once again due to concerns over vaccine inequity, travel restrictions and quarantine costs. Key priorities for countries include finalizing the rules for carbon markets, climate finance for developing countries, loss and damage, and reducing methane and coal emissions.    We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight.......NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS.......DEFORESTATION....... AGRICULTURE......FOOD SECURITY....... WEALTH TAX                                                                                                    Climate change fuels food insecurity in Africa.......WHAT: Climate change worsened food insecurity, poverty and displacement in Africa, said the State of the Climate in Africa 2020 report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ahead of COP26.  FOOD POVERTY: Nearly 98 million people in Africa faced acute food insecurity and needed humanitarian aid in 2020, an almost 40% increase from 2019. By 2030, up to 118 million people who live on less than $2 a day would be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat if authorities did not act, the report said.  CLIMATE IMPACTS: The rate at which temperatures rose across Africa was higher than the global average. Last year was in the top eight hottest years on record, it found.                            https://www.carbonbrief.org/cropped-27-october-2021-cop26-committee-on-world-food-security-meets-climate-change-in-africa?utm_campaign=Carbon%20Brief%20Daily%20Briefing&utm_content=20211028&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20Daily