International Plant Based Treaty

Modelled on the Fossil Fuel Treaty, the Plant Based Treaty aims to combat the current climate crisis by encouraging individuals, groups and political leaders to commit to a move to a plant-based diet, as well as actions to de-incentivise any further expansion of animal agriculture.   The campaign has received widespread support from high-profile campaigners.

Commenting on the recently released IPCC climate report, Nicola Harris, director of communications at Plant Based Treaty, said the report makes it clear that rapid, strong and sustained reductions in greenhouse gases are needed now. “We cannot wait two, five or 10 years. We need to transform to a plant-based food system as a matter of urgency if we are to reduce methane to safe levels and slow global warming,” she said.

The Plant-Based Treaty is based on 3 core principles:

1. Relinquish: the animal agriculture industry cannot continue to expand and deforest the earth.
2. Redirect: promote a radical shift to plant-based food systems away from animal agriculture.
3. Restore: heal key ecosystems and reforest the Earth.

You can read the full text of the Treaty here. 

Some of the treaty action points include:

• Prioritize a switch to plant-based foods in Climate Action Plans.
• Update government food and dietary guidelines to promote whole food plant-based food.
• Design public information campaigns to raise awareness about the climate and environmental advantages and the health benefits of plant-based food, nutrition and cooking.
• Aim to reduce the public’s consumption of animal-based food through education in schools.
• Transition to plant-based meal plans in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and government institutions.
• Introduce a meat tax (including fish) with proceeds funding restoration of land destroyed by animal agriculture.
• Redirect government subsidies for animal agriculture, slaughterhouses and industrial fishing to environmentally friendly production of plant-based food.
• Reforestation projects to be rolled out in appropriate ecosystems using native tree species to restore habitats to a previously similar historical state.
• No building of new animal farms.
• No building of new slaughterhouses.
• No expansion or intensification of existing animal farms.
• No new large-scale industrial fishing vessels.

Anita Krajnc (co-founder of Toronto Pig Save) is global campaign coordinator and Nicola Harris (director at Animal Save Movement) is co-director of communications for the Plant Based Treaty.

You can endorse the treaty here as an individual or an organisation:

plantbasedtreaty.org