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UN Climate Crisis Roadmap Criticized for Ignoring Meat Reduction

In a critique published in the journal Nature Food, academic experts are challenging the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) new climate crisis roadmap for neglecting meat reduction strategies and alternative proteins like plant-based meat. They express concern over the roadmap's lack of transparency in selecting the list of supported actions, arguing that it hampers any assessment of the roadmap's recommendations against existing scientific evidence which consistently highlights the benefits of reducing meat consumption. This follows several allegations of censorship regarding livestock's climate impact by former FAO officials. Cleo Verkuijl, one of the authors of the critique, stated: “It’s very striking: the FAO doesn’t include one of the clearest interventions that would help meet both environmental and health targets.”

Study Reveals Industry Influence on Climate Research at US Universities

A new study in the journal Climatic Change scrutinizes University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and Colorado State University's agricultural research centres, which, despite focusing on livestock emissions, rely heavily on industry funding. Authors Viveca Morris and Jennifer Jacquet suggest these centres function more as industry advocates, promoting meat and dairy consumption, rather than conducting independent research. UC Davis' CLEAR Center, led by Frank Mitloehner, and Colorado State's AgNext, led by Kimberly Stackhouse-Lawson, maintain strong ties to the livestock industry and have received significant industry donations. The authors argue such ties compromise research integrity and mislead climate policy discussions, raising concerns about industry influence on academic research and its implications for climate action.

British Columbia MLA Re-Introduces Bear Den Protection Bill

British Columbia Green Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Adam Olsen has re-introduced a bear den protection bill for the third time. The bill aims to amend BC's Wildlife Act to penalize disturbing or destroying bear dens on Crown or private land. Expert reports stress the importance of dens for bear survival, particularly in old growth forests. On March 6, 2024, the Kwakiutl First Nation and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) issued a joint statement calling on the province to form and fund a joint panel with the UBCIC to co-evolve legal orders that protect bear homelands and dens.

Danish High Court Rules Against Pig Exporter in Greenwashing Case

Denmark's Western High Court has ruled against Danish Crown, Europe's largest pork exporter, in a groundbreaking case brought by the Vegetarian Society of Denmark and The Climate Movement. The court found Danish Crown culpable of deceiving consumers through its "Climate-Controlled Pigs" marketing campaign. It determined that the company's labeling, particularly the use of pink stickers asserting climate control, was misleading as it lacked independent validation, thus impeding consumers' ability to make informed decisions. The court argued that such labeling could significantly distort consumer behavior. However, objections regarding the claim that pork was "more climate-friendly than you think" were dismissed due to the statement's relative nature and the inherent challenge consumers face in evaluating pork's environmental impact.

New Book Explores Climate Crisis Impact on Animals and Urges for Plant-Based Diets as Climate Solution

Richard Twine, The Climate Crisis and Other Animals (Australia: Sydney University Press, 2024).

Summary: The Climate Crisis and Other Animals examines the impact of the climate crisis on nonhuman animals and argues for the importance of a climate and food justice movement inclusive of nonhuman animals. The book examines the ways in which climate breakdown is affecting nonhuman animal species and delves deeply into the politicised controversy over the extent of emissions from animal agriculture, demonstrating the markedly lower emissions of eating vegan.

The Climate Crisis and Other Animals addresses the emissions impacts of radical land-use changes and the twentieth century scaling-up of animal commodification within the animal-industrial complex, revealing how this system is interwoven in the gendered and racialised histories of capitalism. Twine collates an impressive body of scientific research that demonstrate both the already enormous impact of the climate crisis on the lives of nonhuman animals and the need to tackle the dominance of meat-based cultures. Twine critically explores approaches to food transition and three potentially transformative scenarios for global food systems that could help dismantle the animal-industrial complex and create a more sustainable and just food system.

New Research Suggests Climate Change May Create “Generational Trauma” for African Great Apes

A new study suggests that the effects of climate change may create “generational trauma” for African Great Apes. The study investigated 333 chimpanzee and gorilla habitats across Africa and found that all of them have seen increases in temperature in the last ten years. Due to climate change, apes are also expected to face more extreme rainfall events, more wildfires, and more consecutive dry days. According to Bella Lam, the CEO of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, crop failures and other drastic events push humans to seek resources in forests, increasing the number of incidents of human-wildlife conflicts.

Los Angeles County Implements Plant-Based Food Procurement Motion

Los Angeles County passed a motion to cut greenhouse gas emissions by altering food procurement practices, including purchasing, selling, and serving more plant-based foods. The legislation targets environmental, public health, and farmed animal welfare concerns. The law entails revising nutritional standards to prioritize plant-based foods in county purchases and suggests methods for departments to increase plant-based procurement. Recommendations for reducing animal-based purchases are included, with the Department of Health Services initiating data collection on food purchases to estimate greenhouse gas emissions, marking a significant step towards sustainability.

Over Two Million Animals Dead as Mongolia Grapples with Devastating Winter

A government official in Mongolia reported that over two million animals have perished this winter due to extreme cold and snow. While the country is accustomed to harsh weather from December to March, this winter has been particularly severe, with temperatures dropping as low as minus fifty degrees Celsius. This extreme weather phenomenon, known as “dzud,” is notorious for causing mass livestock deaths. The United Nations attributes the intensification of dzuds to climate change, which increases their frequency and severity.

Report Challenges Manure Biogas as Climate Solution

A new report by Friends of the Earth U.S. and Socially Responsible Agriculture Project challenges the effectiveness of manure biogas in reducing methane emissions. The report reveals how investments in manure biogas entrench polluting systems of industrial animal agriculture and fossil fuel energy, hindering efforts to meet climate targets. Findings suggest that dairy operations with anaerobic digesters are more likely to increase herd sizes, exacerbating climate and environmental justice harms. Policy recommendations emphasize redirecting resources to cost-effective methane reduction solutions and transitioning away from factory farming and fossil fuels.

Bill Introduced to Remove Plastic from List of Toxic Substances

Conservative Member of Parliament Corey Tochor introduced Bill C-380 on February 12, 2024, aiming to remove plastic manufactured items (PMI) from the List of Toxic Substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The move follows a November 2023 decision of the Federal Court, which ruled that the Government of Canada exceeded its authority by designating PMI as “toxic” under CEPA in 2021. The case, brought by Canada's major plastic-producing companies known as the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition and supported by the the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, sought to remove the toxic listing. Animal Justice intervened in support of the listing, emphasizing the importance of addressing plastic pollution that annually harms millions of animals.