COP26: Changing food systems and how we treat animals is a major opportunity for climate change mitigation

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COP26: Changing food systems and how we treat animals is a major opportunity for climate change mitigation

31 October 2021
News
For too long, animal protection has been absent from the conversation around the climate emergency. However, animals and animal-related sectors play a significant role in ensuring a transition towards climate-resilient societies.

Today marks the start of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, where parties and world leaders will come together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

One of the main themes of this year’s COP is nature-based solutions to the twin crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss. This provides an important opportunity to raise the profile of animal protection issues in the climate agenda.

Livestock farming represents a significant share of the planet’s emissions that cannot be ignored. The recent report on global warming from IPCC is clear: we have no time to lose in cutting methane emissions. Reducing livestock numbers could contribute significantly to achieving the Paris Agreement targets. Failing to reduce livestock numbers will put most of the UN SDGs out of reach.

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Eurogroup for Animals’ contribution

To inform COP26 attendees about the environmental issues associated with animal-related sectors, as well as how improved animal welfare and transformed food systems can help build back better, Eurogroup for Animals have created a leaflet entitled “Protecting Animals to Protect the Planet”.

Download the leaflet here: