Medical group petitions White House to cut animal agriculture and promote plant-based diet in dealing with climate crisis
The petition proposes a strategy to shift subsidies for meat and dairy products to fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans meant for human consumption.
PCRM: The nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine [PCRM] is petitioning the White House to update its Executive Order titled “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” to recommend policy changes that could help alleviate the climate crisis by cutting animal agriculture and promoting a plant-based diet.
“The Executive Order lists several actions the federal government will take to fight climate change but fails to include steps it will take to stop the detrimental impact of animal agriculture and promote the benefits of plant-based dietary patterns—steps leading scientists, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization have recommended,” says the petition…
The petition proposes… a strategy to shift subsidies for meat and dairy products to fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans meant for human consumption, … the climate benefits of a plant-based diet in the nutrition policy including the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,… and the inclusion of plant-based meals in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and other federal programs…
A report from the United Nations Environment Programme says that “animal products, both meat and dairy, in general require more resources and cause higher emissions than plant-based alternatives.” The World Health Organization says, “Studies show that cutting back on red meat production reduces the nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere by fertilizers and animal manure…
The executive order creates a National Climate Task Force, which includes the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Physicians Committee’s petition requests that the White House immediately update the Executive Order… “The same animal products that can cause heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in humans are also harmful to the environment—while a plant-based diet can fight chronic disease and climate change,” says Susan Levin, MS, RD, CSSD. SOURCE…
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