Plant-based action plans are government climate change mitigation strategies that promote plant-based food development, production and consumption. The best known is the international Plant Based Treaty. Some countries have developed their own plans including Denmark and South Korea, as have cities including New York City. [1] [2]
Launched in 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow, the Plant Based Treaty is an international treaty that has been signed by cities around the world that has the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture. It encourages carbon labeling on menus and transitioning to plant-based meals on school menus, known as vegan school meals, and council menus. [3] It is modelled on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. [4]
The treaty calls for:
Los Angeles became the 20th city to endorse the treaty when the Los Angeles City Council voted to support it in October 2022. [6] In 2023, Edinburgh was the first European capital city to sign the treaty. [7] In January 2024, Exmouth became the fifth UK council to endorse the treaty. [4] Amsterdam became the 26th municipal council to endorse the treaty. [8]
The Plant Based Treaty released its Safe and Just report at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. [9] The Plant Based Treaty advocates did not have access to the negotiating sessions during COP28. Instead they held a rally in support of the treaty. "The emissions from the food system alone will put the 1.5 and 2C climate target out of reach," Plant Based Treaty science ambassador Steven George said at COP28. [10]
The Danish Handlingsplan for plantebaserede fødevarer was launched on 13 October 2023 to reduce emissions and complement the government dietary guidelines. [11] It follows a political agreement in Denmark from 2021. The plan includes training of public and private kitchen chefs on preparing plant-based meals, more plant-based food in primary schools and curricula, as well as export initiatives for Danish plant-based food. The plan complements a 1 billion kroner (€168 million) government investment for plant-based startups. [12]
The South Korean action plan was announced in 2023 and includes the promotion of plant-based exports, but in contrast to Denmark, includes R&D support with the installation of an alternative food research support centre. [2]
The New York City action plan includes many elements. In 2023, all the NYC Health + Hospitals were serving plant-based meals as the primary dinner option. [13] The plan includes the Eat A Whole Lot More Plants health promotion campaign. [14] The New York City Public Schools serve plant-based meals on Fridays, and older adult centers, homeless shelters, and jails serve plant-based meals once each week. [15]
A meat alternative or meat substitute, is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients, eaten as a replacement for meat. Meat alternatives typically approximate qualities of specific types of meat, such as mouthfeel, flavor, appearance, or chemical characteristics. Plant- and fungus-based substitutes are frequently made with soy, but may also be made from wheat gluten as in seitan, pea protein as in the Beyond Burger, or mycoprotein as in Quorn. Alternative protein foods can also be made by precision fermentation, where single cell organisms such as yeast produce specific proteins using a carbon source; as well as cultivated or laboratory grown, based on tissue engineering techniques.
A plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods. Plant-based diets encompass a wide range of dietary patterns that contain low amounts of animal products and high amounts of fiber-rich plant products such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. They do not need to be vegan or vegetarian, but are defined in terms of low frequency of animal food consumption.
The European Vegetarian Union (EVU) is a non-profit, non-governmental umbrella organisation for vegan and vegetarian societies and groups in Europe. The union works in the areas of vegetarianism, nutrition, health, consumer protection, climate and environment, and food labelling.
Meatless Monday and Meat Free Monday are international campaigns that encourage people to not eat meat on Mondays to improve their health and the health of the planet.
Gardein is a line of meat-free foods produced by Conagra Brands. In 2003, the company was founded by Yves Potvin, who remained as the CEO of Gardein until 2016. In November 2014, Pinnacle Foods purchased Gardein for $154 million. Pinnacle was acquired by Conagra in 2018.
A low-carbon diet is any diet that results in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing a low carbon diet is one facet of developing sustainable diets which increase the long-term sustainability of humanity. Major tenets of a low-carbon diet include eating a plant-based diet, and in particular little or no beef and dairy. Low-carbon diets differ around the world in taste, style, and the frequency they are eaten. Asian countries like India and China feature vegetarian and vegan meals as staples in their diets. In contrast, Europe and North America rely on animal products for their Western diets.
Suzy Amis Cameron is an American former actress, model, author and activist, who advocates for a plant-based diet.
Individual action on climate change can include personal choices in many areas, such as diet, travel, household energy use, consumption of goods and services, and family size. Individuals can also engage in local and political advocacy around issues of climate change. People who wish to reduce their carbon footprint, can take "high-impact" actions, such as avoiding frequent flying and petrol fuelled cars, eating mainly a plant-based diet, having fewer children, using clothes and electrical products for longer, and electrifying homes. Avoiding meat and dairy foods has been called "the single biggest way" an individual can reduce their environmental impact. Excessive consumption is more to blame for climate change than population increase. High consumption lifestyles have a greater environmental impact, with the richest 10% of people emitting about half the total lifestyle emissions.
Daniel Humm is a Swiss plant-based chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park.
The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC parties – the Conference of the Parties (COP) – to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Starting in 2005 the conferences have also served as the "Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol" (CMP); also parties to the convention that are not parties to the protocol can participate in protocol-related meetings as observers. From 2011 to 2015 the meetings were used to negotiate the Paris Agreement as part of the Durban platform, which created a general path towards climate action. Any final text of a COP must be agreed by consensus.
HappyCow is a mobile app and website that lists vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and also a passionate community of over one million vegan-focused members. Aside from listing restaurants it also lists farmers markets, health food stores and all types of businesses with a vegan focus.
Food Tank : A Food Think Tank, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2013 by Danielle Nierenberg, Bernard Pollack, and Ellen Gustafson to reform the food system. Its goal is to highlight environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty.
A vegan school meal or vegan school lunch or vegan school dinner or vegan hot lunch is a vegan option provided as a school meal. A small number of schools around the world serve vegan food or are vegan schools, serving exclusively vegan food.
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly referred to as COP27, was the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from 6 November until 20 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. It took place under the presidency of Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, with more than 92 heads of state and an estimated 35,000 representatives, or delegates, of 190 countries attending. It was the fifth climate summit held in Africa, and the first since 2016.
The McPlant is a vegetarian burger sold by the fast-food chain McDonald's in several European countries. In 2021, McDonald's partnered with Beyond Meat, a Los Angeles–based producer of plant-based meat substitutes, to create the McPlant platform. It features a plant-based meat alternative burger patty made from plant ingredients such as potatoes, peas and rice.
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative is a diplomatic and civil society campaign to create a treaty to stop fossil fuel exploration and expansion and phase-out existing production in line with the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, while supporting a just transition to renewable energy.
Aviv was a Middle Eastern vegan restaurant with several locations in Portland, Oregon. Guy Fieri visited the restaurant for a 2020 episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Although Aviv had been popular, it closed in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly known as COP28, was the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from 30 November to 13 December at Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The COP conference has been held annually since the first UN climate agreement in 1992. The event is intended for governments to agree on policies to limit global temperature rises and adapt to impacts associated with climate change.
Vegetarianism and veganism are growing trends in China. Public Radio International estimated in 2013 that 4-5% of China's population was vegetarian, representing over 50 million people.
The Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return Initiative commonly called FAIRR Initiative, is an investor network.