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Nottingham City Council Pressured To Take Climate Action And Go 100% Plant-Based

Writer's picture: Plant-Based CouncilsPlant-Based Councils
  • On 29/04/2024 at Nottingham Council House, local residents and supporters of the Plant-Based Councils campaign unfurled a banner asking Nottingham City Council to ensure that all food and drink provided at council meetings and events is 100% plant-based [1].

  • The campaign also asks the council to promote plant-based eating, prioritising locally grown produce, wherever the council has influence

  • Similar actions have been taken around the country, including in Sheffield, London, Leeds, Bath, and Bristol. 

  • This year, farmers predict the worst harvest since the Second World War due to extremely wet weather as a result of the climate emergency [2].

  • Other UK councils have already made commitments to 100% plant-based catering, such as Exeter City, Oxfordshire County, Oxford City and Cambridge City [3].  


Residents gathered at Nottingham Council House on 29/04/2024 to call on Nottingham City Council to take climate action on food by ensuring that all food and drink provided at internal council events is 100% plant-based as part of their response to the climate emergency. The campaign is also asking the council to promote plant-based eating, prioritising locally grown produce, wherever it has influence. Campaigners unfurled a banner reading “Plant-Based Councils Climate Action on Food” and called on their council to back the campaign.


Sam Wessel, 41, Engineering Manager said:
“The unfolding climate emergency is already having a devastating impact around the world, including disrupting crops and harvests locally. Nottingham City Council has already committed to making Nottingham a carbon-neutral city by 2028, but while much of the focus is rightly on fossil fuels, here in the UK around a third of our emissions come from food.
Shifting to plant-based diets is shown to slash food emissions by three quarters, while freeing up land that can be used to restore nature. We’re here making a small ask with a big impact – we want our council to lead by example, showing through its catering that it’s serious about reducing emissions, while also reducing costs and improving the health of residents.”

Reacting to the campaign launch, Councillor Sam Lux said:
“Nottingham City Council is proud of its ambitious climate targets. A group of green-minded councillors have had some really positive discussions with Plant-Based Council and are excited to explore what can be done to save money and emissions as we continue to push progressive action, despite difficult financial circumstances.”

In 2018, comprehensive research from the University of Oxford showed that 76% of the land currently used for food production would be freed-up by a global transition to plant-based production [4]. This land could be rewilded and begin carbon drawdown, mitigating the worst impacts of climate breakdown.


Plant-Based Councils, an Animal Rising campaign, is a national initiative of local residents who are pushing for their councils to adopt 100% plant-based catering. The group claims that local authorities have a responsibility to follow the current scientific consensus, which acknowledges the environmental, health and cost benefits of plant-based meals over those containing meat and dairy. The campaign is active in over 45 councils, with the group encouraging interested residents to sign up to run a local campaign.


ENDS.


Word count: 529


For more information or further comments, please contact press@plantbasedcouncils.org 


NOTES TO EDITORS:


[1]  The Plant-Based Councils campaign aims to address the climate emergency starting with the food on our plates. Working with councils across the UK to encourage them to lead the way in the switch from emission heavy foods to plant-based ones that are better for health, our planet and reducing the impact from the cost of living crisis.   



Oxfordshire County Council votes to serve fully plant-based food at all council-catered events  https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/plant-based-food/ 

Exeter City Council votes to serve 100% plant-based food at catered meetings https://news.exeter.gov.uk/council-pledges-to-raise-awareness-of-the-benefits-of-plant-based-food/ 

Cambridge City Council votes to serve 100% plant-based food at catered meetings https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=5423


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