Today's Edition
SHOROUQ AWAD (DUBAI)
A woman wearing a hat decorated with replicas of plants and vegetables drew the attention of delegates at the COP28’s blue zone, where all of the official sessions, meetings, side events and press conferences are taking place. Fanny Chen from Brazil is on a mission to promote vegan eating, highlighting livestock production’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
When approached by Aletihad, Chen said: “I was keen to participate in the conference, wanting to convey a message that invites the peoples of countries to adopt a 100% plant-based diet, and to completely avoid foods of animal origin.”
She praised the UAE’s hosting of COP28 and its organisation of the global conference Chen highlighted the COP28 presidency’s announcement to provide two-thirds of the conference’s meals as plant-based, which she said is a novel step breaking from tradition at COP conferences.
This initiative aligns with the main goal of the conference, limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Citing studies, Chen said that replacing half of the consumption of meat and dairy products with plant-based alternatives can double climate benefits, reducing emissions, land use, and water pollution by 75% compared with meat-rich diets.
The dietary systems confirmed the strong commitment of the COP28 presidency to transformative action on food systems in the global conference’s agenda, ultimately contributing to curbing the causes of the global climate crisis and its negative impacts on humanity and the Earth.
The Brazilian activist explained that the UAE’s efforts to encourage all COP28 participants to sign the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action indicate the country’s notable interest in finding sustainable solutions for food security through increased collective action to transform food systems into sustainable ones.
She confirmed the link between meat consumption and climate change, as livestock farming like cattle and sheep contributes to harmful and toxic gas emissions globally. This requires serious consideration in reducing consumption from animal sources to combat climate change, along with the health benefits for humans.
Chen pointed out that meat production contributes more significantly to temperature rise, prompting food activists to call for reducing meat consumption and focusing on 100% plant-based diets.
