Southampton council urged to back Plant Based Treaty

Cassie Martin and Jo-Ann Carey raised the work of the Plant Based Treaty movement at a recent Southampton City Council meeting.

Branding manager Ms Martin asked whether the council planned to bring forward a proposal to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, which says it has been backed by 78 cities, 1,914 organisations and 3,241 businesses around the world.

Christian Cox, Labour councillor responsible for public health, said the local authority was still exploring the request, which first came forward at a meeting last year.

Cllr Cox said: “We recognise not a single organisation can make the changes required and so representatives of the council are active members of Southampton Food Partnership to take a joined-up approach in this direction.”

The treaty calls for a shift from animal-based to plant-based food systems, an end to land-use change, ecosystem degradation and deforestation for animal agriculture, and the restoration of ecosystems through measures including reforestation and rewilding.

Ms Carey, a clinical nutritional therapist with more than 20 years’ experience, said the Plant Based Treaty organised a plant-based restaurant week during London Climate Action Week, bringing together restaurants, cafes and other food businesses to showcase and promote options.

She asked whether the council would be interested in working with the Plant Based Treaty to bring a similar campaign to Southampton.

Cllr Cox said: “Yes, we are happy to look at exploring those sorts of things.

“We’ve already got a range of interventions that encourage health and sustainable food choices through the Cooking at Home project, Southampton Healthy Years Award and several others and the health and wellbeing board members provide the leadership on this.”