- On 10/11/22, at a students union general meeting, the Plant-Based Universities campaign put forward a motion for their facilities to transition to 100% plant-based catering by 2025, with 50% of the options being so by the 2023-24 academic year [1].
- A majority of the, around 100, attendees voted in favour of the motion that will affect the 3 outlets operated by the union.
- The vote is a landmark victory for the Plant-Based Universities campaign, which was announced in November 2021 [2].
- George Monbiot has spoken out about the vote, in a comment given to Plant-Based Universities.
Students at The University Of Stirling have voted to embrace a completely plant-based menu to address the climate and ecological emergencies. The decision represents the first of its kind in the UK, following similar commitments by universities in Germany [3].
George Monbiot, the climate and animal justice writer and author of ‘Regenesis’, said:
“It’s fantastic to see the next generation taking control of their future and putting humans, nonhuman animals and the planet first. The Plant-Based Universities campaigners at The University Of Stirling are leading the way in tackling the climate crisis and creating a sustainable food system”
In 2018, comprehensive research from the University of Oxford showed that 76% of the land currently used for food production would be freed-up by a global transition to plant-based production [4]. This land could be rewilded and begin carbon drawdown, mitigating the worst impacts of climate breakdown. A 2019 Harvard University report on UK farmland and food production from Helen Harwatt and Matthew N. Hayek also concluded that the UK would be carbon-negative if it completely transitioned to a plant-based food system [5].
Imogen Robertson, 21, one of the campaigners at Stirling said:
“This vote is a clear sign that young people are willing to take decisive action on the climate and ecological emergencies. We will be working with catering staff to ensure this vote is implemented in a way that provides cheap, delicious, planet-saving options throughout our Student’s Union.
We are delighted that our fellow students have decided to follow the scientific advice from world-leading academics and step into a brighter future. We hope this sparks a wave of bold action across UK universities to commit to just and sustainable plant-based catering”
The Plant-Based Universities campaign is a nationwide initiative of students who are pushing for their universities and student unions to adopt 100% plant-based catering. The group claims that universities have an obligation to follow the scientific research that they produce, detailing the environmental impacts of animal farming and fishing. The campaign is active in over 40 institutions, with the group encouraging interested students to sign up to run local campaigns.
The Plant-Based Universities campaign is supported by the well-known animal and climate justice group Animal Rebellion.
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Notes To Editors:
[1] https://www.stirlingstudentsunion.com/news/article/6013/Your-General-Meeting-November-2022/ [2] https://animalrebellion.org/introducing-plant-based-universities/ and https://animalrebellion.org/students-nationwide-launch-100-plant-based-universities-campaign-for-sustainability/ [3] https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/31/berlins-university-canteens-go-almost-meat-free-as-students-prioritise-climate&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1668352302580948&usg=AOvVaw0I-lIIxUJKKaET6kwVOU7u [4] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaq0216 [5] https://animal.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/Eating-Away-at-Climate-Change-with-Negative-Emissions%E2%80%93%E2%80%93Harwatt-Hayek.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0qbRS0IuKp4JG0AzXXb5P73osdgnYJ3VBJir88YBpMlajmJg0riNVJFMg