Climate Crisis

Dont Turn the Page campaign by Heura

© Heura
Politics & Law

Heura Urges Spanish Congress to Address Climate Emergency in Wake of Natural Disasters with New Awareness Campaign

Heura Foods, Spain’s leading plant-based food innovation company, has called on the Spanish Congress of Deputies to take a proactive and urgent role in addressing the climate emergency affecting Spain and the world. In response to recent environmental disasters, such as the devastating floods in Valencia, and the alarming advance of global warming that could exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, Heura urges legislators to prioritise sustainability and global health on the political agenda, leaving partisan interests aside. “Heura understands that this challenge has no political colour and requires the unity and commitment of all forces in Congress. Therefore, we call on the people’s representatives to prioritise sustainability and global health over political interests. The climate emergency can wait no longer and urgent action is imperative,” …

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a plate with a steak takes center stage, representing the connection between meat consumption and environmental degradation Generative AI

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Fairs & Events

Plantega & World Animal Protection Join Forces to Promote Plant-Based Diets at Climate Week NYC 2024

The plant-based deli brand Plantega and the animal welfare organization World Animal Protection US are joining forces at Climate Week NYC 2024 to promote plant-based eating to protect animals and the planet. The collaboration aims to raise awareness about the “devastating” environmental impact of animal agriculture and the link between eating meat, dairy, and eggs and climate change. According to the non-profit, most climate decisions and strategies overlook industrial meat and dairy despite their significant role in GHG emissions and land use. Lindsay Oliver, Executive Director of World Animal Protection US, shares: “The growing accessibility of innovative animal-free proteins signals a culinary and environmental revolution. We’ve partnered with Plantega to prove that plant-based eating is not just easy and delicious — it’s the ultimate way …

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Children protest with signs regarding environment

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Sustainability / Environment

Leading Scientists Urge Global Shift to Plant-Based Food: “We Only Have 7-8 Years to Prevent a Global Climate Crisis”

A major new study by prominent scientists published in the leading scientific journal Heliyon proposes a new strategy for addressing climate change with what they say are “overlooked” solutions. Co-author Professor Andrew Knight  contacts vegconomist to explain, “Our planet is in a state of emergency and we only have a short window of time (7-8 years) to enact meaningful change to prevent a global climate crisis.” The authors argue that a shift to plant-based diets, a global phaseout of industrialized animal farming, and a global standardization of climate change metrics are effective measures to reduce global warming. Removing animals from the food system could offset the world’s total GHG emissions by 68%, highlights the study.   Meanwhile, the study points out that to avoid an irreversible global climate …

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NotCo Juicy NotBurger

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Fairs & Events

NotCo Recognized as Climate Tech Company to Watch by MIT Technology Review

Food tech company NotCo has recently been recognized among the 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch 2023 by MIT Technology Review, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) media company.  The list highlights startups and established businesses that the MIT Technology Review editors consider to have the potential to reduce GHG emissions or address the challenges posed by global warming. NotCo has been recognized for using AI and cutting-edge technology to create plant-based products similar in taste and texture to animal products. Also recommended to “watch” are other businesses developing cleaner ways of generating electricity, storing energy, manufacturing, and transporting people and goods, including BYD, Blue Frontier, General Motors, and NuScale. It is worth mentioning that Notco is the only food tech company featured on the list.  AI tech …

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Plant-based tacos

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Health

Plant-Based Diets Combat the Obesity and Climate Crises, Says Top EU Scientific Advisor

Plant-based diets promote human health, combat climate change, and foster a more sustainable food system, highlights Eric Lambin, a member of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and co-author of Towards Sustainable Food Consumption. In a recent interview published in Horizon magazine, Lambin, a geography and sustainability science professor at UCLouvain, Belgium, discussed the need for a more sustainable and healthy food system.  “We are now facing a public health crisis – with widespread overweight, obesity and malnutrition issues — and a global environmental crisis,” he told Horizon. To tackle obesity and climate change, Lambin recommends shifting towards plant-based diets, emphasizing legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, reducing meat consumption, and prioritizing sustainably sourced fish and seafood. He also noted the need to reduce …

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Vegan Lamb Burgers

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Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

ProVeg in Washington: Cutting Meat is Necessary for Fighting Climate Change

ProVeg International told participants of the AIM for Climate Summit in Washington, D.C., that one long-term solution to climate change is reducing animal stocks and public meat consumption.  At the recent summit, private and public sector stakeholders gathered to explore climate-focused innovation and investment strategies to combat climate change in the food and agriculture industries.  At the event, ProVeg seized the opportunity to emphasize the importance of alternative proteins as the most effective way to reduce the impact of animal agriculture: GHG emissions, air and water pollution, soil erosion, land occupation, zoonotic diseases, and biodiversity loss, among others. A recent GINA report also emphasizes that investing in alt proteins helps to reduce methane emissions and create new jobs. GHG emissions Animal agriculture, especially livestock such …

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Cow in the Deck chair PlantBased Treaty

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Charity & Campaigns

Edinburgh Becomes First European Capital to Join the Plant Based Treaty in Response to the Climate Emergency

Edinburgh becomes the first Scottish city and the first European capital to join the Plant Based Treaty initiative in response to the climate emergency. Haywards Heath in the UK, Boynton Beach in Florida, Los Angeles, Rosario in Argentina, one city in Turkey, and fourteen cities in India have joined The Plant Based Treaty. Since its launch in August 2021, the initiative has received support from 70,000 individual endorsers, 5 Nobel laureates, IPCC scientists, more than 1000 NGOs, and 1000 businesses. Green Councillor Steve Burgess presented the Plant Based Treaty to The City Council of Edinburgh, which voted unanimously to produce an impact assessment on the implications of endorsing The Treaty. The finalized report shows that “meat and dairy consumption must reduce to achieve climate targets” because food-related emissions and …

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a picture of climate tech vc firm world fund's founding team

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Investments & Finance

Juicy Marbles Investor World Fund Secures €50M from EIF

Climate tech VC World Fund announced a €50 million investment from the European Investment Fund (EIF) to support environmental and climate tech-related ventures that contribute to decarbonising the world’s economy and its businesses.  The Slovenian plant-based whole-cut specialist Juicy Marbles and Germany’s Planet A Foods, a precision fermentation platform that makes cacao-free chocolate, were eligible to receive funding from the World Fund due to their carbon offsetting schemes.  Supported by InvestEU The EIF’s investment in the World Fund is supported by InvestEU, the region’s sustainability and innovation investment programme, which provides the European Union with crucial long-term financing to achieve the zone’s climate goals. “This is one of the largest investments EIF has made into a first-time VC fund,” EIF said, adding that “the investment …

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Climate Change Sign No Planet B

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Charity & Campaigns

Ahead of C40 Summit, 200 Groups Call For Urgent Plant-Based Transition

Ahead of the C40 World Mayors Summit, a coalition of almost 200 groups and businesses have signed an open letter demanding a faster plant-based transition and endorsing a global plant-based treaty as a solution to address the climate crisis.  Veg Climate Network, Plant Based Treaty, Better Food Foundation, Future Food 4 Climate, Compassion in World Farming, Humane Society International, and Pro Veg International are among the groups that signed the letter.  Anita Krajnc, the global campaign coordinator for Plant Based Treaty, said: “C40 cities are considered leaders in local climate action and can accelerate much-needed progress by implementing best practices such as serving plant-based food at council events and using every policy tool at their disposal, including public information campaigns, procurement, subsidies, investment, divestment, taxation, community gardens, and fruit …

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Annual vegan BBQ Parliament The Hague

Vegetarian Butcher burger served to Dutch politicians © Vegan Today
Fairs & Events

Famous Vegan Brands Serve Plant-Based BBQ to Dutch Parliament

Vegan Today and Diervriendelijk Nederland, in partnership with The Vegetarian Butcher, Beyond Meat, Vivera, Alpro, Willicroft, and other top vegan brands, organised the 7th edition of the Annual Plant-based BBQ in the House of Parliament in The Hague, offering politicians an opportunity to taste the best vegan foods in the Netherlands Both organisers declared the event delivered a clear message: the future is vegan. The Netherlands is known for the progressive work done by its plant-based brands and the high consumer demand for animal-free options. The politicians at the event sampled planet- and animal-friendly versions of traditional foods like hamburgers, chicken, beef, salmon, calamari, shrimp, cheese, milk, desserts, and sweet treats, offered by Dutch brands.   Maryen van Castro and Matthijs den Hollander of Vegan …

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Liz_Truss

gov.uk
Sustainability / Environment

New PM Liz Truss Urged to Prioritise Meat Reduction to “Avoid the Prospect of Eco-System Collapse”

The Plant-Based Food Alliance UK (PBFA) has implored Liz Truss, the new UK Prime Minister, to update the government’s food strategy to address the current global climate and food crises.  According to the Alliance, the food strategy’s white paper that was made public last June was a missed opportunity that did not even consider the government’s own climate advisors’ recommendations on the inclusion of meat reduction targets of 30% by 2030. The organisation urges the government to rewrite its food strategy and include time-bound targets for reducing meat and dairy consumption to make it fit in a century in which climate resilience and food security must become a priority. “Setting targets for meat reduction is no longer a radical measure. Institutions from the UN to …

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MeaTech production line

@MeaTech
Politics & Law

Israel Declares Food Tech & Alt Protein as National Priority; GFI Implores EU to Follow Suit

The Israeli Government this week declared “Food tech, with an emphasis on alternative proteins” as one of five national priorities. The decision was made in consultation with the nonprofit GFI Israel, which plays a key role in the region in promoting the advantage of alternative proteins as a solution to global climate and food crises.  Alla Voldman-Rentzer, vice president at the GFI Israel, commented: “The decision to select food tech with an emphasis on alternative proteins as one of Israel’s five national focus areas, positions the field as a key growth engine for Israel, especially in light of global trends such as the climate and global food crises, and will be a global strategic asset as well.”  Annually, the Ministry of Innovation and Science allocates NIS180M …

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MeaTech production line

@MeaTech
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Israel Declares Food Tech & Alt Protein as National Priority; GFI Implores EU to Follow Suit

The Israeli Government this week declared “Food tech, with an emphasis on alternative proteins” as one of five national priorities. The decision was made in consultation with the nonprofit GFI Israel, which plays a key role in the region in promoting the advantage of alternative proteins as a solution to global climate and food crises.  Alla Voldman-Rentzer, vice president at the GFI Israel, commented: “The decision to select food tech with an emphasis on alternative proteins as one of Israel’s five national focus areas, positions the field as a key growth engine for Israel, especially in light of global trends such as the climate and global food crises, and will be a global strategic asset as well.”  Annually, the Ministry of Innovation and Science allocates NIS180M …

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Climate Change Sign No Planet B

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Sustainability / Environment

Plant-Based Food Alliance Implores UK to Fight Climate Change by Cutting Out Animal Products

The Plant-Based Food Alliance UK has called on the country’s government and citizens to tackle climate change by reducing the number of animal products consumed. In the wake of record-breaking heatwaves, the organisation has pointed to research by Oxford University which found that individuals’ carbon footprints could be reduced by 73% by switching to a plant-based diet. Furthermore, CEO Marisa Heath says the UK government’s target of net zero emissions by 2050 cannot possibly be met without a reduction in meat consumption. In light of this, the Plant-Based Food Alliance has called on the government to take specific actions to encourage the consumption of plant-based foods. These include environmental labelling of food and drink products, public health campaigns explaining how people can incorporate more plant-based …

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Climate change and global warming concept. Children sitting on drying lake with the sky turning orange by an pollution from industrial or city.

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Studies & Numbers

New Report Discusses Shift to Alt Proteins as Most High-Impact Solution for Addressing Climate Crisis

A new report published today by BCG and Blue Horizon reveals that investing in plant-based proteins saves the most CO2 – at least twice the positive impact of investments in sustainable cement, iron, steel, chemicals or transport. It also finds that over 30% of consumers would fully switch their diets to alt proteins to make a positive climate impact. The first report from BCG and Blue Horizon as published last year, titled Food for Thought, posited that Europe and North America could reach “peak meat” by 2025, from when the consumption of animal protein will be in decline. The study went on to be a widely-cited industry standard on the future of alt protein. Alt protein shift as most efficient and high impact solution This …

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Plant Based Treaty Activists

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Sustainability / Environment

IPCC Expert Calls for “Global Veganization” as Calls for Plant Based Treaty Intensify

Climate campaigners will be in Bonn for the United Nations Climate Change Conference starting today to present a new position paper and urge delegates to begin negotiations for a Plant Based Treaty. The move comes after a senior IPCC expert has backed the paper, calling for “global veganization”; an urgent transition to plant-based diets to avoid climate disaster.  The new position paper titled “Appetite for a Plant Based Treaty” highlights how the IPCC has repeatedly demonstrated a vegan diet to be the optimal diet to drastically reduce food-related emissions. The position paper has so far been endorsed by over 50 groups and prominent individuals. It offers a roadmap for a fast and just transition to a plant-based food system this decade in response to the …

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Umaro Foods Bacon in Pan

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Sustainability / Environment

IPCC: Alt-Meat Could Help Halve Global Emissions by 2030

Alt-meat could help halve emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030, according to a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report’s authors say that even if fossil fuel emissions were eliminated overnight, the emissions from food production alone would likely make it impossible to stay within the Paris agreement target of 1.5°C of warming. They say that the most effective way to reduce emissions would be the widespread adoption of plant-based diets. Investment is imperative However, a 14% rise in global meat production is currently expected by 2029. Products made using precision fermentation, cultivated animal cells, and plant-based proteins could help slash emissions, but far more investment is needed to make this possible. The report’s scientists acknowledge that cultivated meat is …

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Climate Change Sign No Planet B

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Sustainability / Environment

IPCC Report Shows Urgent Need to Transform Food Systems and Promote Alt Protein 

The latest IPCC report has given dire warnings for societies across the globe, highlighting the need to adapt to the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The report highlights the pressing need to transform world food systems which are responsible for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while suggesting a move towards plant-based meat has the potential to reduce these emissions by up to 90%. The GFI Europe has shared insights into the IPCC report, demonstrating how sustainable proteins can play a leading role in reducing food system emissions. One striking study quoted in the report shows how 77% of agricultural land is used for animal ag, though the destructive industry only supplies around 18% of the world’s calories. As climate change exposes millions to …

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Climate Change Sign No Planet B

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Sustainability / Environment

A Vegan World Would Require 75% Less Farmland Than Present 

As more and more studies confirm the climate benefits of plant-based diets, new data suggests that if everyone were to opt for a plant-based diet, agriculture would need just a quarter of the land it uses today. Perhaps more useful to note is that a 50% meat reduction would result in 20% less greenhouse gas emissions globally.  According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, half of all habitable land is currently used for agriculture. Of that land, approximately 80% is dedicated to pasture or crops for animal feed. This shockingly high number comes from an extensive meta-analysis of global food systems authored by Joseph Poore and Thomas Nemecek. Protein paradox Animal agriculture is proven to be not only incredibly inefficient nutritionally speaking – beef …

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Climate change and global warming concept. Children sitting on drying lake with the sky turning orange by an pollution from industrial or city.

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Science

Plant-Based Diets and Rewilding Would Provide Double Climate Dividend

Plant-based diets could provide wealthy countries with what researchers are calling a “double climate dividend”. A dietary shift from animal-based to plant-based foods could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a staggering 61%, as well as increase carbon sequestration dramatically, according to a new study in Nature Food. The research shows how high-income nations could reduce agricultural production emissions by 61% annually when adopting plant-based diets, while at the same time sequestering huge amounts of carbon if the freed-up land is allowed to rewild to natural vegetation. The study claims that the amount of possible carbon sequestration in one year could equal approximately 14 years of current global agricultural emissions.  The figures are based on the premise that 54 high-income countries – representing just 17% of …

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