Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about support for a Plant Based Treaty.
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that the world is warming faster than anticipated, the effects of which are being seen in every region of our planet. Urgent action is undoubtedly needed to limit global warming and put nature on a path to recovery, and I am encouraged that the Government is taking decisive action to this end, being the first G7 country to legislate to achieve net zero by 2050 and the fastest decarbonising G20 country.
However, the UK's efforts will not be sufficient alone. That is why the Government has been calling for global ambition and action to reduce emissions across all sectors, including in agriculture, forestry and other land use, which is collectively responsible for roughly 23 per cent of global emissions. Recognising the need to reform the way we grow and consume food in order to tackle climate change, the UK seized the opportunities of our G7 and COP26 Presidencies to drive international action and commitments to this end.
For instance, in June 2021, the G7 Leaders committed to work to accelerate an inclusive global transition to sustainable and climate resilient agriculture, and at COP26, over 140 world leaders joined the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use (GLD). This committed them to “halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation”, and was backed by a financial package of $19.2 billion.
Nevertheless, as demand for food increases, further action on land use and environmental degradation is urgently needed. To this end, the Prime Minister has announced £65 million for the Nature, People and Climate Programme at COP27, which supports indigenous and local forest communities. This funding will drive forward agricultural innovations and measures to boost sustainable livelihoods, as well as support work to conserve and restore millions of hectares of forest.
It is for the reasons outlined here that I do not believe it necessary to sign the Plant Based Treaty at this time. While this may be disappointing to you, I hope I have reassured you that the Government recognises the need to accelerate the shift towards sustainable food systems and considerable work is ongoing to this end.
You can read my wider views about Climate Change on my website here: Climate change - October 2022 | Richard Fuller
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Sincerely,
