Delivering on the UK’s climate commitment means addressing animal agriculture, which is responsible for at least 16.5% of all man-made GHG emissions. Going plant-based also supports small-scale farmers who are the most vulnerable to climate and ecological breakdown, and who are being pushed out by the rise of factory farms. Furthermore, it would reverse the UK’s biodiversity crisis, as shifting to a plant-based food system would require around 75% less land; land that could be restored and rewilded.
On January 26th, GenV received an official letter from the government in response to our request for Rishi Sunak to go vegan. The evasive response came from MP Mark Spencer – a representative of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who also happens to be a beef, lamb, and egg farmer. Unsurprisingly, the letter represented more ‘blah, blah, blah’ in lieu of meaningful and decisive action.
Despite the PM’s disappointing response, news of our bold million-pound campaign made headlines in at least 14 countries and resulted in two UK TV appearances, with the benefits of going vegan reaching over 3 billion people as a result.