Stop ignoring the cow in the room!

The world's biggest celebrities who eat exclusively plant-based diets call on COP26 President Alok Sharma to "stop ignoring the cow in the room"

LONDON (September 20, 2021) - Some of the world's biggest celebrities in favor of plant-based diets, including Moby, Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, Alan Cumming, Alicia Silverstone, Leona Lewis, Lily Cole and Stephen Fry, wrote to the Right Honorable Alok Sharma MP, Chairman of the COP26 Climate Change Conference to be held in Glasgow in November, to Stop Ignoring Animal Agriculture; catastrophic culprit of climate change, and put it on the COP26 agenda for world leaders to discuss.

The letter was sent in support of the #TheCowInTheRoom campaign recently launched by global animal welfare charity Humane Society International . Globally, more than 88 billion animals are raised and slaughtered for food each year. Intensive livestock farming is responsible for around 14.5% to 16.5% of the world's human-made greenhouse gas emissions, on par with emission levels from the entire transport sector. . Although it is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, animal agriculture is not on the agenda of COP26 as a priority in discussions on the mitigation of global warming. COP26 is organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Studies show that reducing the production and consumption of meat and dairy products is one of the most effective measures we can take to prevent catastrophic climate change.

The letter, which is also signed by Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley, singer-songwriter Alesha Dixon, naturalist Chris Packham, entrepreneur and Dragons investor Den Deborah Meaden, actress Evanna Lynch, l 'songwriter and record producer Finneas O'Connell, Vamps singer and guitarist James McVey, actress Joanna Lumley OBE, comedian and actor Ricky Gervais and compassionate lifestyle influencer Lucy Watson ask that during the next COP26 conference be officially recognized as the climate impact of animal agriculture.

Humane Society International and its famous advocates share a passion for protecting animals and the planet through policy and practical action, and they hope official recognition at COP26 will encourage world leaders to engage in action. vital meat and dairy reduction strategies to help meet the Paris Agreement's sub-2 ° C target. The letter reads: "As animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, it is impossible to meet the targets set in the Paris Agreement without making changes to our global food system. . Even if all other major sources of emissions were reformed, we would still fall short ... Addressing these urgent areas at the UNFCCC COP26 meeting would help encourage governments around the world to take action. and provide world leaders with another high impact option to add to their toolbox to tackle climate change. We call on the UNFCCC to officially and publicly recognize the role of animal agriculture as one of the biggest contributors to climate change and to open up more space for dialogue. "

Moby, singer, songwriter and animal rights activist, said: “The intensive breeding of animals for food is, quite simply, destroying our planet.” Animal farming is the second largest emitter of CO2 to the world, but it remains largely ignored by world leaders. The science is clear and overwhelming; adopting a more plant-based diet is one of the most impactful steps we can take to avoid change catastrophic climate So if we are to protect our planet, we must include intensive animal agriculture in climate change mitigation strategies.

COP26 is the perfect opportunity to do so, and one of our last vital changes to reform our global food systems. “I beg you, please; STOP ignoring the cow in the room.” In addition to significant greenhouse gas emissions, the livestock production sector is also the largest human-made user of land, with meat, egg, dairy and aquaculture production systems using around 83% of the world's agricultural land while providing only 37% of the world's protein and 18% of the world's calories .

Animal agriculture is also a major driver of deforestation, species extinction, land degradation, pollution and depletion of water resources.

Julie Janovsky, Human Society International Vice President for Farm Animal Welfare, said: “If we are serious about averting a climate catastrophe, it is imperative that world leaders recognize and act to reduce all major drivers. climate change, including industrial animal agriculture. Intensive livestock farming is not sustainable, and transforming our global food systems into plant-based diets is one of the most effective climate mitigation actions we can take. COP26 offers world leaders a vital opportunity to make meaningful commitments to tackle climate change, restore biodiversity and help end the cruelty caused by factory farms. "

The public can support HSI's #TheCowInTheRoom campaign by signing the petition, urging world leaders to recognize the adverse climate impacts of factory farming at COP26: his.org/TheCowInTheRoom

- the facts about the farm:

- According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, animal agriculture is “one of the two or three most important contributors to the most serious environmental problems; and this at all scales, from local to global ”. (FAO)

- By consuming less animal products and eating more plant-based foods, we can help protect the world's water supply. The production of meat, milk and eggs requires enormous amounts of water: growing food, cleaning house enclosures, hydrating animals, disposing of their waste or disinfecting slaughter equipment. Producing 1 kg of chicken requires an average of 4,325 liters of water, compared to 1,644 liters to produce 1 kg of grain. (Hoekstra 2015)

- Eating more plant-based meals will reduce the amount of land used by agriculture. Around the world, we need more land for raising and feeding farm animals than for any other single purpose. Over 97% of soybean meal and over 60% of barley and corn produced worldwide is fed to farm animals. (FAO)

- The report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed that the climate crisis is about to worsen if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.

- By 2030, it is estimated that the livestock sector should account for almost half of the global emissions budget for a temperature of 1.5 ° C, unless things change. (Harwatt 2019)