Meat and dairy consumption must be urgently curbed to meet UK climate ambitions
The Plant-based Food Alliance UK has given its full support to legal action launched by the food NGO Feedback against the UK Government for its failure to include meat and dairy reduction targets in the Food Strategy White Paper.
The White Paper was published in June and failed to include any targets for reducing meat and dairy despite the Government’s chief adviser on the strategy, Henry Dimbleby, recommending a 30% reduction in meat consumption by 2030. Further, the Government’s own Climate Change Committee has repeatedly urged the Government to include time-bound targets on meat reduction, but they remain absent from the White Paper.
“We fully support the legal action by Feedback against the Government”s Food Strategy White Paper,” Marisa Heath, Alliance CEO, said.
“The Government has ignored its climate advisors and produced a document that is not fit to deliver a sustainable food system for the future. Emissions from the meat and dairy industry must be urgently curbed in order for the UK to stand a chance to meet its climate ambitions and avoid climate breakdown.
“Even scientists are starting to take civil disobedience actions because they feel their scientific evidence is ignored while the urgency to act is ever greater by the minute. The Government needs to respond to the significant number of experts who are telling them to take measures to reduce meat and dairy consumption.” Heath added.
The Feedback campaign is being handled by law firm Leigh Day law which filed the case at the High Court on August 23rd. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which oversees the White Paper, must now submit its response to the review claim to the High Court in summary.
The Plant-based Food Alliance UK works at all political levels to level the playing-field for the plant-based sector. The Alliance seeks to increase availability and uptake of plant-based products through innovation and investment, procurement policies, a favourable regulatory and policy environment, and education.
To get in contact the Alliance about becoming a member, email marisa@plantbasedfoodalliance.co.uk