Adopt exclusion policy so overseas programmes/finance do not support animal agriculture (meat, dairy, fishing, aquaculture)
Why this action matters
Evidence-groundedAnimal-based diets contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and biodiversity loss, as evidenced by studies showing that shifting to plant-based diets could reduce annual GHG emissions by up to 49% and free up land equivalent to ~8.1 billion metric tons of CO2eq over 100 years. These findings highlight the urgent need to exclude support for animal agriculture in overseas programmes to align with global climate and sustainability goals.
Concept connections
LLM-generatedBBiosphere SSociety EEconomy · ▶effects of this action ◀prerequisites · Click a concept to explore related actions
Consequences of this action
Evidence-groundedThe action itself
The policy prohibits council-controlled overseas finance or programme funding from supporting any expansion of animal agriculture in recipient countries, redirecting resources away from livestock production and toward more sustainable food systems.
UK implications
By removing public funding from animal agriculture expansion, the UK reduces its indirect support for emissions-intensive food systems, potentially lowering the carbon footprint of its overseas development aid and aligning with domestic climate goals.
Global implications
This action redirects UK development funding away from a sector that drives tropical deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the Global South, where expansion of animal agriculture is linked to significant land use changes and environmental degradation.
National policy stance
No dataScientific foundation
Domain-level evidence from the peer-reviewed library
Climate Resilience
High consumption of animal-based foods was associated with a greater impact on the environment [Carey et al., 2023]. The impact on water and energy use may depend more on the types of plant-based foods consumed [Carey et al., 2023]. With increased environmental impacts, diet-related mortality increases [Carey et al., 2023].
Food Security
High consumption of animal-based foods was associated with a greater impact on the environment [Carey et al., 2023]. The impact on water and energy use may depend more on the types of plant-based foods consumed [Carey et al., 2023]. With increased environmental impacts, diet-related mortality increases [Carey et al., 2023].