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Why this action matters
Backed by researchAnimal-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
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What this action would change
Backed by researchThe 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.
What it would change in the UK
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.
What it would change worldwide
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.
Where national politics stands
Nothing recorded yetThe research behind it
Published research about food and farming as a whole, not this action in particular
We are holding this summary back until we have checked it
This summary was written before we started checking summaries against the papers they cite, so it has not been checked.
Research and reports on this action
Food Supply
UK Health Security Agency - HECC · 2023
Open the full report to read the findings ↗
“There is a strong relationship between the amount of animal-based foods in a diet and its environmental impact, including GHG emissions, land use, water use, eutrophication and biodiversity. Dietary shifts away from animal-based foods can make a substantial contribution to reduction of the UK environmental footprint. Uncertainty due to region of origin and methods of food production do not obscure these differences between diet groups and should not be a barrier to policy action aimed at reducing animal-based food consumption.”
Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts
Nature Food · 2023
Research that argues the other way
We are holding this summary back until we have checked it
This summary was written before we started checking summaries against the papers they cite, so it has not been checked.