2022 Press Releases
Climate Campaigners Seed the City to demand vegan solutions to the climate crisis 1 year after Plant Based Treaty launch
Media Contact(s):
Anita Krajnc: 416-825-6080 [email protected]
James O’Toole: [email protected]
Media Files: Video and photos
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Plant Based Treaty launch, 100+ cities worldwide including Toronto, Tel a Viv, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santiago, Lima, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Bristol and Napoli are hosting a global Seed the City Event.
Climate campaigners will be distributing thousands of packets of vegetable and herb seeds outside City Halls to encourage the public to connect with and grow their own food and improve access to healthy sustainable food. They are calling for town and city councils to endorse the Plant Based Treaty to tackle emissions from animal agriculture and attributed deforestation, a key driver of the climate emergency.
Anita Krajnc from Plant Based Treaty, says, “Through our worldwide Seed the City campaign, we will be distributing thousands of packets of kale, parsley and other seeds for the community to grow in their own gardens or window sills. Plant Based Treaty campaigners are working with cities to advance food security and the accessibility of healthy plant-based foods, in order to promote the importance of mitigating the climate crisis by growing organic vegetables in community gardens and city orchards. We can all be part of the solution and fight climate change with diet change by growing our own food.”
Varun Virlan from Toronto Climate Save who is taking part in today’s event says, “We must cut emissions from animal agriculture to avoid temperature rises above 1.5C warming. Data reviewed by the IPCC shows that a vegan diet is optimal for the planet. We urge cities worldwide to follow the available climate science, endorse the Plant Based Treaty and prioritize plant-based food solutions in our climate action plan.”
The Plant Based Treaty, which proposes a shift to a plant-based food system is backed by 18 municipal governments worldwide, including Buenos Aires, Rosario, and Boynton Beach in Florida.
The treaty has attracted celebrity backers such as Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney who said in a joint statement, “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.”
International recording artist Moby has also shown his support and said: “We face a climate catastrophe and especially a methane emergency. We can all make a difference. Fight climate change simply with diet change. So please join me and endorse and support the Plant Based Treaty.”
Background
The Plant Based Treaty is modelled on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and inspired by treaties that have addressed threats such as ozone layer depletion.
The global movement is asking towns and cities to endorse the Plant Based Treaty to help pressure national governments to negotiate a global treaty that will:
- Halt the global expansion of deforestation attributed to animal agriculture.
- Incentivise a plant-based food system.
- Encourage public information campaigns about the benefits of plant-based foods.
- Free up land to rewild and reforest the Earth.
- Allow a just transition to more sustainable jobs, healthier people and a healthier planet.