AT THE full BCP council meeting in September I asked “Given the climate and ecological emergencies declared by this council, will council ensure that all food and drink provided at future internal events is plant-based, as other councils have done?”

Whilst Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for the climate response and environment, said he welcomed my challenge and that the council would seek to promote plant-based eating, all has gone quiet since.

Research from Oxford University published in the journal Nature Food* in July 2023 stated that vegan diets resulted in 75 per cent less climate-heating emissions, water pollution and land use. Further, the study found that vegan diets also cut the destruction of wildlife by 66 per cent and water use by 54 per cent.

In 2019 BCP declared a climate emergency but has yet to translate this into meaningful action. Three key ways the council can do this is by switching to plant-based catering in its own internal meetings and events; prioritising plant-based menu options in other external sites where the council has an influence; and promoting plant-based eating to residents.

This isn’t about mandatory veganism; rather these actions will help to normalise plant-based eating and send a powerful message that this is the direction we need to be heading in as a society to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. These are all simple steps the council can take that can have a huge impact.

Daniel Glennon

Lesley Road

Bournemouth