The Scots actor called offering meat on the summit’s menu ‘irresponsible’ and likened it to ‘serving beer at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting’.

Actor and activist Alan Cumming has demanded plant-based foods be served at the COP26 – an environment-focused political event to be held in Glasgow this November.

He compared serving meat at the conference to handing out beer at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in the letter he penned to cabinet minister and COP26 president Alok Sharma.

He wrote the letter as part of a campaign by PETA to point out that the meat and dairy industries are a leading cause of the climate crisis the Glasgow-based event is seeking to overcome.

Animal agriculture impact on climate change

In the letter, the actor pointed out that raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, crops, energy, and water and causes immense animal suffering.

He cited UN studies that pin animal agriculture as a leading cause of deforestation, pollution, ocean dead zones, habitat loss, species extinction, and zoonotic disease spread.

 “Given that animal agriculture contributes to many of the serious environmental problems the planet is facing, I hope you’ll agree that serving meat while trying to fight climate change is like serving beer at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting,” Cumming wrote.

“It’s irresponsible and unhelpful.”

Vegan food benefits

According to PETA, vegan foods have a comparatively lesser carbon footprint than their animal-based equivalents even when imported plant proteins are compared to flesh from grass-fed, locally farmed animals.

The charity adds that a widespread transition to a plant-based diet could cut down global greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by the year 2050.

Concluding his letter, the actor pointed out that offering a fully vegan menu would be all the more exciting since Glasgow has been previously cited as one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the world.

“If the goal of the COP26 summit is to protect the planet—as well as promote compassionate, responsible behaviour—animal-derived foods have no place on the menu,” he said.

Campaign

Cumming is not alone in pushing for a meat-free menu at COP26. Over 55000 supporters have joined PETA’s calls alongside the actor to urge the summit to step up for the climate and have a fully vegan menu.

You can join them here.

• Read: Prince Harry says climate change and mental health ‘two most pressing social issues’

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