Plant Based News (PBN) has today released Vegan 2022, a short film that spotlights animal agriculture’s impact on the climate crisis. And, highlights and celebrates the rapid growth of the vegan movement.
Despite the fact that livestock farming is one of the most environmentally destructive industries, it is often completely left out of the conversation. Its impact was barely mentioned at COP27 this year, with the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference even serving beef to guests.
With a runtime of 33 minutes, Vegan 2022 deep-dives into this hidden industry, exploring the “elephant in the room” of the climate crisis.
“This year’s film will focus on the missing link to hit net zero,” said PBN founder Klaus Mitchell. “It will look at how we need to shift away from animal agriculture, or at the very least start talking about it, because at the moment the conversation is just around fossil fuels.
“While there’s no doubt fossil fuels are important, livestock farming is also a necessary part of the solution. It really is the missing link.”
The short film features clips from author and social psychologist Dr Melanie Joy and IPCC expert Dr Peter Carter, as well as climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure has been disputed by many, however, with some experts arguing it’s much higher. It is also a leading cause of deforestation, having been responsible for around 91 percent of Amazon destruction.
On top of this, our global food system has been identified as a “primary driver” of biodiversity loss. A 2021 UN report found that a shift to a “plant-heavy” diet was essential to combat this.
Plant Based News films
Each December, PBN releases a short film that looks at what’s happened in the plant-based and vegan movement that year. They celebrate the increasing awareness of ethical consumerism, plant-based business, animal rights, environmentalism, the health of our planet, public health, personal health, and more.
The films include the biggest voices in the plant-based space, showcasing the developments and challenges that the movement has seen.
“Despite the fact that veganism has become even more normalized this year, the movement has also come under increased pressure from the media and meat industry, who are trying to push back,” said Mitchell. “This year’s film will provide a birds eye view of all the developments, good and bad, in an entertaining feature-length format.”
Vegan 2022 is produced in partnership with Wicked Kitchen, a chef-driven, plant-based brand that is crafting delicious food for meat-eaters and vegans alike. Sold in the UK, US, Finland, and Thailand – Wicked Kitchen is on a mission to “unleash the mighty flavor of plants.”
Vegan 2022 is available to watch on the Plant Based News YouTube channel now.