Progressive Cities: Halting Climate Change through the Plant Based Treaty, Part 3 of a Multi-part series

In our previous episodes, we visited several cities that have endorsed the Plant-Based Treaty. Today, we visit Gopalpur, India, and Edinburgh, Scotland, both of which recently joined this planet-saving movement.

Let’s first travel to Gopalpur, India, a city located on the Bay of Bengal in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. Gopalpur is a popular tourist destination, noted for its wide sandy beaches and warm year-round temperatures. However, in 2022, all of India, including the city of Gopalpur, suffered from unprecedented climate-related disasters. Realizing the dire need to take immediate action to halt climate change, the city of Gopalpur endorsed the Plant Based Treaty on December 14, 2022.

Gopalpur council members jointly signed an official document that stated, “We endorse the Plant Based Treaty because we completely agree with the motto, ‘Eat Plants, Plant Trees.’ We believe shifting towards a plant-based diet can solve (the) climate crisis. Now this (is) the new campaign for (a) new generation. We are glad that the members of ‘Climate Save Movement, India, Animals Climate and Health Save Foundation are working very hard to make India aware for saving (the) Earth by eating plant-based food.’”

Now let’s visit Edinburgh, Scotland. During 2022, every nation in the United Kingdom – England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland – experienced blistering heat waves with record-high temperatures. According to the UK’s Met Office, the summer of 2022 was the hottest on record. In January 2023, after witnessing firsthand the urgent need to halt global warming, the city of Edinburgh endorsed the Plant Based Treaty, becoming the first capital city in Europe to do so.

The city’s impact assessment report states, “The science is clear; meat and dairy consumption must be reduced to achieve climate targets.” The report further states that endorsing the Plant Based Treaty provides a “clearer pathway for fully transitioning to plant-based meals.”

The Edinburgh city council may consider introducing carbon labeling mandates on menus and a transition to more plant-based meals in schools, hospitals, and public events. In addition, the City of Edinburgh council intends to write to the Scottish federal government, recommending that the entire nation endorse the Treaty.