City in the Netherlands bans meat ads and endorses Plant Based Treaty
The treaty is a global campaign asking governments to pledge to actively transition away from animal-based food systems to kinder and more sustainable plant-based food systems.
A city in the Netherlands has announced its endorsement of the Plant Based Treaty, a pledge that governments can sign to show they are taking action to promote plant-based foods and move away from an animal-based food system.
As part of the pledge, the Dutch city of Nijmegan will implement several new policies to help make it easier for citizens to make plant-based food choices.
This includes the launch of a plant-based sandwich known as Nimma, which is made from natural plant-based ingredients that are all sourced from local farmers and producers. The Nimma Sandwich is designed to highlight how plant-based food can support local business and help shorten supply chains.
Alongside the launch of the new sandwich, the city will also expand plant-based options in its own canteens.
To help support its commitment to healthy and sustainable food, Nijmegen is also set to implement a ban on meat advertisements in public spaces such as bus shelters and digital screens.
The advertisement ban, which will also apply to the promotion of fossil fuels, follows similar policies by other Dutch municipalities in Haarlem and Utrecht.
“By signing the Plant Based Treaty, the municipality of Nijmegen supports the global call for cities, organizations, businesses, and residents to help combat the climate crisis by changing their diets,” said Cilia Daemen, the city’s Alderman for Climate Adaptation and Urban Greening.
Nijmegen’s move makes it the 37th city in the world to endorse the call for a global Plant Based Treaty. The grassroots initiative Plant Based Treaty is rallying together cities to collectively express support for national governments to commit to transitioning towards a sustainable plant-based food system.
The group says the treaty is essential because the climate crisis demands immediate action. According to the Global Methane Assessment by the UN in 2021, methane emissions—one-third of which come from animal farming—must be reduced by 45 percent by 2030 to prevent a 1.5C temperature rise.
File photo of plant-based food, showing veg and vegan meat skewers.
The number of signees of the treaty has grown steadily in the last few years, as more people choose to eat less meat for ethical, health, environmental reasons. Alongside consumer trends, governments are increasingly recognizing that the current animal-based food system is not sustainable.
In 2023, Denmark became the first country in the world to launch a national roadmap to make the country’s food system more plant-based.
Businesses, too, are pledging to help increase the uptake of plant-based protein. In the Netherlands, over ten major supermarket chains have committed to selling more plant-based protein than animal meat by 2030. Sales in the country are already high, with plant-based proteins currently making up 40 percent of all proteins sold by Dutch supermarkets.
Want some tips on how to go plant-based? Take Species Unite’s free Plant-Power Challenge for 30 days to discover everything you need to know. Sign up here.
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