Vegan Donut Advocates A Paradigm Shift Towards Plant Based Food At COP28

With the growing environmental and social issues, the demand for the society to shift towards plant-based food. The issued was highlighted at COP28 as well when the 'Safe & Just: The Vegan Donut Economics Approach to Food Systems' - a flagship report presented by the Plant Based Treaty at the event called for an urgent revolutionary transformation of global food system. Inspired by Kate Raworth's Donut Model and the Planetary Boundary framework, the report emphasised the need for integrated systems thinking to address the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequity.

The report highlighted the risks of surpassing critical climate thresholds and the urgent need for action to mitigate these dangers. The report underscored the rapidly depleting carbon budget and the necessity of addressing food-related emissions through public education and policy shifts, promoting plant-based diets, and reducing antibiotics in animal farming.

The report said that Asia, with its dense population and rapid economic growth, faces significant challenges in balancing food security and environmental sustainability. 

Aprajita Ashish, Regional Liaison of The Save Movement, Country Director of Animal Climate & Health Save India, and Coordinator of Plant Based Treaty, said during tabling of the report, "The Safe & Just Report calls for policymakers, businesses, and individuals to embrace a plant-based food strategy. It underscores the interconnectedness of food systems with broader environmental and social issues and advocates for urgent, comprehensive reforms to ensure a sustainable and equitable future."

The Plant Based Treaty aligns with the Donut Model, focusing on sustainable food systems that respect ecological limits and social needs, proving to be highly beneficial in providing holistic solutions to administrative bodies while drafting NDCs aligning with the 2030 Paris Agreement Goals. The end tagline of the report reads - "Eat plants, plant trees, negotiate a global and local Plant Based Treaty!"

To promote a shift towards a plant-based food system, campaigners of Plant Based Treaty and several allied organisations engaged in fruitful lobbying alongside presenting the report at the conference. The Plant Based Treaty, supported by the mayors and ministers in 15 Indian cities, encourages individuals to shift to a plant-based diet as an ecocentric choice to improve environment and to combat climate change.