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Cambridge becomes first city in Massachusetts to call for a global Plant Based Treaty, joining 65 cities worldwide

City agrees to provide residents with plant-based educational material and encourage plant-based food at city events

January 27, 2026, Cambridge, Massachusetts – Cambridge City Council unanimously passed a policy order to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, making Cambridge the 66th city globally and the sixth city in the United States to support the initiative, alongside Culver City, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hoboken, and Boynton Beach.

In the lead up to the vote, Cambridge residents from Plant Based Treaty Boston had been educating Councillors about plant-based food system solutions and Plant Based Treaty, leading to the council developing the policy order.

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January 27, 2026, Cambridge, Massachusetts – Cambridge City Council unanimously passed a policy order to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, making Cambridge the 66th city globally and the sixth city in the United States to support the initiative, alongside Culver City, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hoboken, and Boynton Beach.

In the lead up to the vote, Cambridge residents from Plant Based Treaty Boston had been educating Councillors about plant-based food system solutions and Plant Based Treaty, leading to the council developing the policy order.

Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, who co-sponsored the order with Councillors Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, Patricia Nolan, Marc McGovern and Cathie Zusy said, “Cambridge has always been a leader in climate action, and this initiative builds on that. What we eat matters, and supporting the Plant Based Treaty helps Cambridge reduce emissions, improve health, and protect our shared resources.”

At the council meeting on January 26, nine Cambridge residents delivered public comments to support the Plant Based Treaty endorsement, including high school student Ruth Pfeffer, Harvard undergraduate students Taylor Cross and Nina Wu, masters students N.J. Park and Hannah Roach, community organizer and artist Adriana Prat, long time environmental activist and Sierra Club volunteer Kelsey Kelter, public service worker and activist Rosa Diaz Rivera, and building decarbonization professional Liam Hughes.

The policy order reads as follows:

That this City Council formally endorses support for the Plant Based Treaty and encourages the Cambridge state and federal delegation to support the Plant Based Treaty as well as promote state and federal policies to reduce food-based emissions and prioritize plant food purchasing as a centerpiece of greenhouse gas emissions policies; and be it further

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments to:

      • incorporate plant-based solutions into the Sustainable Cambridge initiative including promotion of the personal and community benefits of plant-based food choices, and adding future calculations of consumption-based
      • greenhouse gas emissions and;
      • incorporate plant-based purchasing practices in City-operated events and work with the School Department to incorporate plant-based purchasing practices in School-related events; and
      • use municipal communications channels to promote sustainable and affordable food and drink practices throughout the City, including details of the climate and health benefits of plant-based food and drinks and educating people on the best ways to achieve a balanced plant-based diet, while also appropriately highlighting the crisis of ever-increasing food poverty and the support available to respond to it

During the meeting Councillor Patricia Nolan, who initiated the policy order, said, “This whole policy order is about supporting Cambridge and reducing its consumption-based emissions, and getting the word out to the public at large about the importance of this for climate work, but also for public health.”

Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, co-sponsor of the policy order, said, “Our food policies have a huge impact on affordability and sustainability for people all over the world, and I’m glad to support the work to make sure our food system works for all people and our environment.”

Councillor Marc McGovern, co-sponsor of the policy order, said, “This doesn’t force anybody to do anything, but it is so that we have a greater awareness of this issue, can make some progress, and do a better job with healthy eating and environmental issues.”

Kimmy Cushman, Plant Based Treaty US city campaigner and scientific advisor, said, “As the main driver of deforestation and a leading cause of greenhouse gases, halting the expansion of animal agriculture and deforestation in order to fast-track towards a safer plant-based food system will require unprecedented city action and international cooperation. As a renowned educational hub, with people from all over the world, Cambridge has taken a huge step towards showing leadership in sustainability by prioritizing plant based food solutions and food justice. The local Cambridge team is excited to continue working with the city government to implement and build upon the city’s new food action plan.”

Hannah Roach, Plant Based Treaty Cambridge volunteer and Masters Student of Nutrition at Tufts University, said, “Through local campaigning, I have seen how supportive the public is of the Plant Based Treaty. People are inspired to learn that plant-based diets can have the best long-term health outcomes, can be the most affordable, and are absolutely the most environmentally sustainable. Cambridge residents like myself are grateful to see our city taking that first step of recognizing the link between our food policies, our health, and our planet by endorsing the Plant Based Treaty.”

The council meeting was held via Zoom due to the recent winter storm. The video recording will be available for viewing on the official website of the City of Cambridge.

Background

The Plant Based Treaty is modeled on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and since its launch in August 2021, the initiative has received support from 66 cities, more than a quarter of a million individual endorsers, 5 Nobel laureates, IPCC scientists, and more than 4000 groups and businesses, including chapters of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

The Plant Based Treaty has secured high-profile endorsements from celebrities, including Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney, who issued a written statement calling for politicians to support the Plant Based Treaty. They said: “We believe in justice for animals, the environment and people. That’s why we support the Plant Based Treaty and urge individuals and governments to sign it.”

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