A group of over 650 British academics has made an impassioned plea to the country’s universities to embrace a 100% plant-based approach to food as part of the fight against the climate crisis. They argue that these institutions have represented “beacons of intellectual, moral and scientific progress” for centuries.
The open letter, organized by the tireless student-led Plant-Based Universities Campaign, compares the call to a divestment from fossil fuels, which has already been adopted by 101 universities in the UK.
Scientists agree that reducing meat consumption in developed countries plays an important role in combating the climate crisis and is one of the most impactful ways to reduce personal environmental impact.
The letter, addressed to university vice-chancellors, food service managers and student union leaders, highlighted: “We are fully aware of the climate and environmental crises – you should be; not only that, but we also recognize that livestock and fisheries are primary factors in these events.
“While most universities have declared a climate emergency, many have already taken steps to divest from fossil fuels. [os estudantes] They deserve to know that their universities are actively involved in shaping the future they can graduate from.
The letter further clarifies that the initiative does not seek to impose vegetarianism on individuals, allowing students and staff to continue to bring their own food to campus. Instead, the focus is on persuading universities to institutionally divest from meat and dairy products.
Among the signatories to the letter are eminent academics in the fields of environment and health, such as Professors Frank Kelly, Simon Lewis and Chris Robley. More than 200 other people have joined the protest, including renowned broadcaster and activist Chris Packham and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas.
Helen Cersky, an oceanographer and television presenter at University College London, expressed her support: “Universities should see themselves as the microcosm of society, where a spirit of inquiry encourages people to try new approaches, test more sustainable options and evaluate outcomes.”
He added: “Recently whenever I hosted a university event, I opted for vegetarian or plant-based catering options without advertising and I only got compliments on the food, never a complaint about what was missing. It’s not as scary as many people think.”
Olympic kayaker Etienne Staudt, a signatory to the letter, emphasized the urgency of climate action at universities: “The need for universities to engage in their own climate research could not be more pressing. The support of academics at over 90 institutions is incredibly powerful, and I call on universities to heed their calls for change.”
In response, Tom Bradshaw, vice-president of the National Farmers Union, argued: “It is appropriate for universities to consider how they can contribute to tackling climate change, but indiscriminately banning all beef and lamb, regardless of their origin and production practices . . ., is an overly simplistic approach. Instead, universities have their Evidence should be examined.
“Beef and lamb produced in the UK are among the most sustainable in the world, with emissions less than half the global average, and our farmers are committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2040.”
The Plant-Based Universities campaign is already active in more than 50 universities, and to date student unions at Birmingham, University College London, Stirling and Queen Mary have voted in favor of phasing in completely plant-based menus.
Similar votes were passed at Cambridge, Kent and London Metropolitan Universities, although the Universities of Edinburgh and Warwick rejected the proposals. In 2016, the University of Cambridge had already eliminated beef and lamb from 14 of its catering establishments, significantly reducing food-related carbon emissions.
Chris Packham praised the efforts of students involved in the plant-based universities campaign, highlighting that they are making a significant difference in their institutions, and appreciated the support of academics.
In 2020, an influential coalition of UK health experts stressed that solving the climate crisis depends on reducing consumption of high-carbon foods such as red meat, and that sustainable diets are more beneficial to health.
In the same year, public sector suppliers who provide billions of meals annually to schools, universities, hospitals and nursing homes committed to reducing the amount of meat on their menus by 20%. Additionally, by 2021, the government-commissioned National Food Strategy recommends reducing meat consumption by almost a third.
Source: Guardian
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