(a)  To consider the following notice of motion from Councillor R. Knight

“This Council recognises:

· That meat and dairy production is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global deforestation, and that reducing consumption of these foods is a key part of tackling the climate crisis as well as improving health outcomes.

·  That we have a duty as leaders in the district to empower the local community to make changes that can mitigate climate catastrophe and help preserve the vitality of our planet for future generations.

·  The importance of a balanced diet as well as individual choice and catering for all dietary requirements. Increasing awareness of dietary choices and the resulting impact on an individual’s carbon footprint can allow individuals to make more informed choices.

· The huge contributions made by our farmers to the local economy and its rural communities, and recognises the need for farmers to be appropriately supported to deal with the challenges of farming in an increasingly unstable climate and a cost-of living-crisis.

This Council notes:

· A 2018 Oxford University study [1] concluded that adopting a plant-based diet is the single biggest way individuals can reduce their environmental impact.

· In the UK we eat twice as much meat and dairy as the global average which is not sustainable - there is not enough land in the world to meet this demand without destroying our natural world. [2]

·  According to analysis by Greenpeace, in order to halve global meat consumption by 2050 Europe needs to reduce by 70% by 2030. 

·  The Government-commissioned National Food Strategy (2021), led by Henry Dimbleby, recommended that food provided in the public sector should be plant-based by default, and that a new Reference Diet is developed, focusing on wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and pulses.

· The Eat Lancet Commission’s Global Planetary Health Diet is a global reference diet for adults that is symbolically representedby half a plate of fruits, vegetables and nuts. The other half consists of primarily whole grains, plant proteins (beans, lentils, pulses), unsaturated plant oils, small amounts of meat and dairy (if preferred), and some added sugars and starchy vegetables. [3]

· 90% of Amazon deforestation is for animal agriculture, soya being the biggest culprit, the majority of which is exported across the world (including the UK) for animal feed.

· Plant-based sources of protein have much smaller carbon footprints than animal-based ones, even when comparing locally raised meat to imported plant foods. [4]

· When we talk about emissions, we usually think of carbon dioxide (CO2). But livestock's emissions also include methane, which is up to 34 times more damaging to the environment over 100 years than CO2, according to the UN. [5]

· Beef produces the most greenhouse gas emissions, which include methane. A global average of 110lb (50kg) of greenhouse gases is released per 3.5oz of protein. Lamb has the next highest environmental footprint but these emissions are 50% less than beef. Cattle produce more methane than poultry, while poultry rely more on imported feed than cows, generating a carbon footprint offshore. [6]

· The UK's agriculture sector produces 10% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions and makes up 70% of land use. Our food system is a central driver for habitat and biodiversity loss and the UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries.[7]

·  Dairy and meat products provide only 32% of calories consumed in the UK, and less than half (48%) of protein, but – by contrast – livestock and their feed make up 85% of the UK’s total land use for agriculture. Half the UK’s annual wheat harvest is fed to animals, while 40% of our most productive agricultural land is used to grow food for farm animals instead of people in an ‘inherently inefficient’ approach. [8]

· The plant-based food market is booming. With one-third of UK consumers choosing to actively reduce their meat consumption, the demand for plant-based innovation is growing at a rapid pace. [9]

This motion delegates the Strategy & Resources Committee authority to consider the following points:

·       Ensure that food provided at all council catered events and meetings is 100% plant-based, preferably using ingredients sourced from local food providers / local food surplus organisations.  

·       Ensure that any Council run external sites including leisure centres, cafes and restaurants, have plant-based options prioritised as part of their regular catering offer and advertised clearly as such on their menu (e.g. placed at the top of the menu or offered as the default menu option with alternative meat/dairy options having to be requested especially).

·       Promote plant-based eating to residents in whichever way the council can. This can include promoting the climate and health benefits of eating plant-based food on the council’s website and/or distributing leaflets to residents.

·       Ban meat and dairy advertising in any space where the council has an influence to do so as these reinforce and promote harmful ways of eating.

·       Set up a cross-party Task and Finish Working Group, chaired by the Lead for Climate & Biodiversity, of officers, elected Members including other relevant Leads and invited experts to promote and embed these principles in the District Council’s food provision where practicable.

·       Request that the Lead Member for Climate and Biodiversity works with local farmers to support, promote, and encourage their move to create more sustainable plant-based produce.

·       Ensure that wherever this Council has influence on school meals’ services, that these should have a nutritious plant-based option available as part of the regular offer every day of the week, promoting these by using, for instance, recommendations from ProVeg UK) with one day a week featuring a fully ‘plant-powered’ menu.”

References

[1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaq0216

[2] https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/how-much-meat-should-i-be-eating

[3] Eat Lancet Commission’s Global Planetary Health Diet

https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/the-planetary-health-diet-and-you/

https://eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/07/EAT-Lancet_Commission_Summary_Report.pdf

[4] https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

[5] United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Methane Management: The Challenge. Accessed on 24th November 2022:https://unece.org/challenge

[6] BBC Climate change: Do I need to stop eating meat?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-59232599

[7] RSPB State of Nature UK Report: https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/documents/conservation-projects/state-of-nature/state-of-nature-uk-report-2016.pdf

[8] WWF Report: ‘Future of Feed’ (1st July 2022) https://www.wwf.org.uk/press-release/transform-uk-farmland-boost-food-resilience-tackle-nature-crisis

[9] Vegan Society. A third of shoppers report they are cutting down on meat or ditching it completely in a response to the cost-of-living crisis. Accessed on 24th November 2022:

https://www.vegansociety.com/news/news/third-shoppers- report-reducing-or-ditching-meat