A campaign group has launched a petition urging Bristol City Council to endorse a plant-based treaty to promote a "healthier planet". The petition is part of a national campaign to combat the climate crisis by limiting animal agriculture and promoting a vegan lifestyle across the UK.
The petition - which currently has around 1,200 signatures - claims that animal agriculture is a key driver of deforestation, accelerating greenhouse gases, land-use change, ocean dead zones, and water and air pollution. The treaty is led by Animal Save Movement which operates under a mission to end animal agriculture and reforest the Earth.
Animal Save Movement is asking the council to endorse the treaty to encourage the Government to promote the benefits of a vegan diet for "healthier people and a healthier planet". The petition reads: "Cuts to methane emissions are our best hope of keeping 1.5 alive over the coming decades, due to a third of methane emissions coming from animal farming."
Read more: Bristol restaurant first to prioritise carbon footprints over calories on menus
The campaign has achieved public endorsement from some notable faces since COP26 whereby Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney issued a written statement calling for politicians to support the Plant-Based Treaty. They said: “We believe in justice for animals, the environment and people. That’s why we support the Plant Based Treaty and urge individuals and governments to sign it.”
Singer Moby has also shown his support, having previously said: "We face a climate catastrophe and especially a methane emergency. …We can all make a difference. Fight climate change simply with diet change. So please join me and endorse and support the Plant Based Treaty.”
The movement is joining towns and cities across the UK in endorsing the Plant Based Treaty will help pressure national governments to:
- Halt the global expansion of deforestation attributed to animal agriculture.
- Incentivise a plant-based food system.
- Encourage public information campaigns about the benefits of plant-based foods.
- Free up land to rewild and reforest the Earth.
- Allow a just transition to more sustainable jobs, healthier people and a healthier planet.
The petition to Bristol City Council is part of a wider global campaign to reduce deforestation caused by the agricultural industry. So far, 15 towns and cities, plus one village have endorsed the Plant Based Treaty since its launch on August 31, 2021. Bristol would be the first city in the UK to endorse it and 13 councillors have endorsed it as individuals, a spokesperson from the Plant Based Treaty said.
They continued: "Adopting a plant-based diet is not only the optimal diet for the planet and the biggest way to cut your carbon footprint but it's good for your health and a fun and exciting way to explore new foods. In recent years delicious vegan options have become more accessible.
"Every major restaurant chain now has vegan options or a dedicated vegan menu. Whether you want to tuck into a falafel salad or a juicy burger there really is something for everyone.
"The shocking heatwave and record breaking 40C+ temperatures this week serve as a stark reminder that the climate emergency is here and we need to take action on all fronts. If we want a livable planet for all, bold cuts to emissions from both animal farming and fossil fuels are critical.
"We are already feeling the heat from a 1.2C temperature rise and according to the IPCC, we are on track to hit 1.5C around 2030 and 2C by 2040."
The campaign is modelled on the Fossil Fuel Treaty, which aims to phase out the world's reliance on fossil fuels.
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