The United Nations climate conference COP29 closed at the end of November with disappointment and forgotten promises.
The premise of the climate conference did not look good: the conference was held at Baku, Azerbaijan, an oil production country and known for human rights violations and poor animal rights. From the few outcomes of the conference the most significant was the financial support for poor countries, which are the most vulnerable for the effects of climate change.
Scientific proof about the consequences of climate change and fossil fuels to the nature and humankind are continuously in the news, which makes the results of the conference especially depressing, but the impact on the whole animal kingdom is not talked about enough. Stopping the consumption of animal products is the most significant act a single person can do to reduce the effects of climate change and production animal mistreatment. On government level, financial support and legislation are needed to make companies take the environmental issues seriously. Putting effort into the production of plant-based products reduces carbon emissions and the suffering of animals.
If the animal welfare aspect is not enough, we can look into the issue with another perspective: the animals are as much part of the ecosystem as are plants and other organisms, and the biochemical cycles of nature don’t work without all factors. Reduced bird population means reduced spreading of plant seeds. When pollinator insects are missing a proper habitat, plants depending on them will not reproduce properly. When whales are washed ashore and their numbers are decreasing, so are the carbon sinks of the oceans.
But statistics and science are apparently not enough for many, not even governments, as could be seen again during COP29. The consensus agreement of COP28 to phase out fossil fuels seemed to been forgotten, and the over 1 700 fossil fuel lobbyists didn’t probably help either.
There were no actions on agriculture, even though factory farming covers 15% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. World Federation for Animals had presentations in the conference and released a digital tool offering practical solutions for countries to reduce their carbon footprint and to protect wildlife. The versatile tool gives advice on how to develop sustainable food production to protect the diversity of nature, strengthen the vitality of wild animals and store carbon more efficiently in ecosystems. The tool also encourages political activity to protect wild animal populations, pursue sustainable agricultural practices and diets, with also providing suggestions for fair ways to phase out from industrial animal production. Despite the comprehensiveness of the tool, it apparently did not arouse interest or readiness in the policy makers.
Simon Stiell, The executive secretary of the United Nations climate change framework (UNFCCC), said fittingly that all countries should support environmental protection activities, because the climate crisis is becoming an “economy killer”. Seemingly appealing to economical aspects didn’t stir up much interest. A coincidence or not, the world’s largest meat production company JBL grotesquely announced in the last days of the conference that they will open six new factories in Nigeria. As a developing country, Nigeria is particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Even though in the aftermath of COP29 the future seems bleak, instead of falling into frustration one can focus on making things better, with even more vigor and passion: making wise consumer choices, participating in civil activism and voting for nature, and thus for us all.
References (each link will open in a new tab)
European Commission. Consequences of climate change.
WWF. Nature-based solutions.
Animal Protection Index
World Federation for Animals
Photo: Saroj Bhandari / Unsplash
