Comment: The greenest government?

Friday, 12 November 2010 12:00 AM

The prime minister has committed the government to champion green issues. The fate of new legislation will reveal whether or not the commitment is real.

By Martyn Williams

MPs are due to discuss a ground-breaking piece of legislation on Friday (12 November 2010) which could significantly reduce the huge impact that UK's meat and dairy production has on South American forests and wildlife - and has been supported by 55,000 people and some of Britain's top chefs.

British factory farms rely on vast quantities of cheap soy imported from South America to feed their animals. But to produce enough soy to meet this demand, vast swathes of rainforest and wildlife rich grasslands are being destroyed every year, with disastrous consequences for local people and wildlife.

90 per cent of the South American Atlantic Forest - home to 20,000 plant species - has so far been destroyed, much of it for soy farming. Soy plantations in South America are dependent on, and driven by, factory farming in the UK and Europe.

And it has been estimated that on current global trends for increased meat production and consumption, soy farming and cattle ranching alone will destroy 40 per cent of the Amazon rainforest by 2050.

This is why Friends of the Earth is supporting Rob Flello MP's Sustainable Livestock Bill.

This new law would require the Government to take action to stop the destruction through a range of measures such as supporting farmers in producing planet-friendly food and helping consumers choose a diet which does not destroy wildlife.

And more than £2.2 billion of public money is spent each year on food in schools, hospitals and care homes - with little thought given to where and how it's been produced. This too must change.

Inevitably, farming meat and dairy in a more planet-friendly way would mean producing less of it - so people in the UK would need to be encouraged to opt for less, but better quality, meat and dairy diets.

As a nation we would also have to become less wasteful - an area of land almost the size of the Peak District - around 120,000 hectares - is needed to grow enough animal feed for the meat we throw away in the UK every year.

The campaign has already attracted widespread support from a wide-range of people and organisations including MPs from all parties, environment and wildlife groups and many of the UK's leading restaurants, such as Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saison.

It's still unclear whether or not the coalition wil give it's backing to Rob Flello's Bill or whether they will try and kill it off.

David Cameron has promised to make his administration the greenest government ever. Friday's vote will help show whether or not he really means business.

Martyn Williams is Friends of the Earth's senior parliamentary campaigner.

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