Vegans Urge Ardern to Give Up Meat
■ Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison have been urged to go vegan for a month ■ Vegan World Alliance asked world leaders to show initiative for climate change ■ In 2010 the UN released a report stating a world shift to veganism was vital
Aglobal vegan organisation has urged New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to adopt a plant-based diet for the ‘sake of humanity’.
In a world first, leaders from Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand- as well as Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison -have been challenged to go vegan for a month.
The four international groups that make up the Vegan World Alliance penned letters ahead of World Vegan Day on Friday, encouraging politicians to join the ‘Vegan challenge’ to show initiative towards combating climate change.
‘It is time that more leaders commit to a low carbon lifestyle, encouraging their cabinet and members of the public to reduce their animal product intake, ideally to zero,’ the Vegan Society Aotearoa New Zealand wrote to Ms Ardern.
‘Unfortunately, our lifestyle and economy have increasingly become reliant on animal agriculture, which is a major offender. ‘However, the fact remains that according to innumerable reports the global population must drastically reduce their dependence on animal agriculture if we want a sustainable planet for the future.
The alliance also explained that a ‘plethora’ of vegan foods available in supermarkets, cafes and restaurants’ have made it easier to go vegan.
The group said it has already given Ardern some vegan cheese ‘which she enjoyed along with others in the office.’
In order to reduce the impact of climate change, the group said immediate action was needed, as well as pointing to the various health benefits of a meat-free diet.