IN the annals of climate-change lunacy, a special place will for ever be reserved for the small West Sussex town of Haywards Heath, 14 miles from Brighton.
A press release has landed in the TCW inbox from the Plant Based Treaty, which describes itself as a ‘landmark international treaty and first of its kind to put food systems at the heart of combating the climate crisis’.
Here are some excerpts: ‘Today Haywards Heath Town Council [the urban equivalent of a parish council] endorsed the Plant Based Treaty, becoming the first town in Europe to join the initiative to tackle emissions from animal farming and attributed [associated?] deforestation, a key driver of the climate emergency. The proposed Treaty is backed by 17 municipal governments worldwide, including Boynton Beach in Florida and Rosario in Argentina . . .
‘The council has taken a science-based approach to the climate crisis using research from Project Drawdown [Mission: to help the world reach ‘drawdown’ – the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change – as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible] to provide a solid scientific foundation . . .
‘Having already supported the 2022 Veganuary initiative, endorsing the Plant Based Treaty was the obvious next step in an ongoing journey for Haywards Heath Town Council . . .
‘Nicola Harris, communications director at Plant Based Treaty, said, “Haywards Heath’s decision to call for urgent global action on plant-based solutions to the climate crisis demonstrates true leadership” . . .
‘Climate campaigners are calling on other towns and cities to follow Haywards Heath’s lead and help create a national council-led movement calling for a shift towards healthier, more sustainable plant-based diets. A petition calling on Glastonbury to endorse the Plant Based Treaty has attracted almost 5,000 signatures . . .
‘The Plant Based Treaty is modelled on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and inspired by treaties that have addressed the threats of ozone layer depletion and nuclear weapons. Since its launch in August 2021, the initiative has received support from 43,000 individual endorsers, 5 Nobel laureates, IPCC scientists, more than 800 NGOs and community groups and 700 businesses, including Ecotricity, Linda McCartney Foods, Oceanic Preservation Society, Environmental Alliance Project, VIVA!, BOSH!, Animal Rebellion, and chapters of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion.’
Says it all.
