~ Encouraging delegates to make an ethical lifestyle choice for world health, for the environment and for the animals.
With COP16 around the corner, delegates and world leaders from around the world will once again be meeting to discuss the current climate change issues our planet faces. The previous conference in Copenhagen ended with major developing nations having made pledges but with no clear path toward a treaty all binding resolutions. Consequently, it is critical that our representatives demonstrate their commitment to make effective changes.
According to a recent report from the UN, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Production and Consumption: Priority Products and Materials from the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP), consuming a diet free of meat and dairy will be the best approach to dealing with climate change and its consequences.
So despite all the science pointing to animal agriculture being the largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, inter-governmental talks do not even include on their agenda the discussion of the meat and livestock industries. The facts clearly demonstrate animal products are unsustainable and truly detrimental.
One goal of this meeting is to strive in making sustainable choices, therefore, we ask that our representatives and world leaders attending the COP16 truly take the initiative and demonstrate courage in choosing to be vegan during their attendance of this historical conference. By choosing to do so our delegates make a powerful statement,that is that they are determined to halt climate change by eliminating the root cause: Animal Agriculture. Furthermore we call on the COP16 organizers to only provide plant based meals during the conference to show their complete resolve to tackle climate change as well as other environmental issues. The world will be watching the participants of COP16 in hopes that the right choices and steps are taken, to avoid further climate change related calamities.
We invite all to join us in making a truly environmental, healthy and compassionate choice, choose a vegan diet and encourage others to do likewise. Each one of us also has the responsibility of sending this clear message that a plant based diet is the first choice when considering any possible solution to climate change.
For more information on the plant based solution please visit http://meatfreecop16.org/solutions/, on ideas on how governments can make the shift to a plant based diet, please visit http://meatfreecop16.org/making-the-shift/.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours Sincerely,
Society for the Advancement of Animal Wellbeing
www.SAAWinternational.org
