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The U.K government is facing calls to stop ignoring the link between animal farming and the climate crisis.
Animal Rebellion – an offshoot organization of environmental advocacy group Extinction Rebellion which is calling for a plant-based food system – has launched a 10-day rebellion against the U.K government as MPs return to Parliament.
The group has vowed to carry out ‘creative and inspiring actions across London and the U.K’ in a bid to persuade politicians to meet three key demands: to ‘tell the truth’ about animal farming and fishing being a leading cause of climate catastrophe; to ‘act now’ by leading a transition to a just and sustainable plant-based food system; to create and be led by the decisions of a Citizen’s Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
‘A plant-based food system’
“Those in power can no longer ignore the link between animal farming and the climate emergency,” Kieran Blyth, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, said.
“They must acknowledge that we can only avoid climate catastrophe by way of a full transition to a plant-based food system.”
‘Any sort of future’
Celina Madigan, a member of Animal Rebellion and former primary school teacher, added: “I loved my job and being able to transfer knowledge to the younger generation, but my students will not have a future unless we make changes now.
“We need a transition to a just and sustainable plant-based food system if we, and the next generation, are to have any sort of future on this planet.”
‘The science is clear’
Kerri Waters, a researcher at Animal Rebellion, said: “Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the whole transportation sector combined – and up to 83 percent of global farmlands.
“The most comprehensive research project on the environmental impact of farming and food distribution, published by Joseph Poore in 2018, concluded that a plant-based food system could reduce global farmlands by 75 percent.”
Harley McDonald-Eckersall, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, concluded: “The science is clear, yet those in power still refuse to act. That is why we will be going straight to the top and bringing the animal and climate emergency to the halls of power.”
