UK town is the first in Europe to sign Plant Based Treaty

The Plant-based Food Alliance UK has welcomed the decision by the West Sussex town of Haywards Heath, in the UK, to become the first town in Europe to sign the Plant Based Treaty.

“We applaud the town council in Haywards Heath for taking this step and we encourage other towns in the UK to follow suit,” Marisa Heath, Alliance CEO, said.

“Taking steps to transition to a more plant-based diet is important for food security, for the battle against climate change and for encouraging healthier diets,” Heath added. “It is also one of the simplest and quickest actions we can take to make a significant difference.”

The Plant Based Treaty is a grassroots initiative which has three core principles:

• Relinquish – No land use change, ecosystem degradation or deforestation for animal agriculture
• Redirect – An active transition away from animal-based food systems to plant-based systems
• Restore – Actively restoring key ecosystems, particularly restoring forests and rewilding landscapes

The treaty is a companion to the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement and is the first of its kind to put food systems change at the heart of combatting the climate crisis. A total of 18 cities or towns globally have endorsed the Plant Based Treaty so far.

The Plant-based Food Alliance 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.

Town Councils are increasingly aware they can meet climate targets by stimulating a better food environment. Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from animal agriculture are twice those from plant-based diets, so policies need to be pushed that encourage plant-based nutrition.

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