Scotland to consider petition calling for ban on meat by 2040

Scottish parliament is set to consider a petition calling for a countrywide ban on meat.

The Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will discuss the new petition, brought in by Roger Green of campaign group Vote With Your Fork.

Vote With Your Fork is hoping to encourage the world towards a future without meat, citing concern for the environment and animal welfare as reasons for their cause.

“We in Scotland need to look at the system behind how food gets to our plates. This includes growing, farming, fishing, processing, consumption, and the sentience of the animals in that food system,” said Green.

A petition is calling for a ban on meat by 2040 (Credit: Pexels)

The petition, signed by 101 people, also cited the World Health Organisation and the UN, both of whom have spoken in support of radically reducing animal agriculture for the sake of the planet.

Green calls for an overall ban on meat production and consumption in between 2023 and 2040, and for Scotland to champion alternative domestic food production systems instead.

He is of firm belief that moving Scotland towards veganism is the answer, and will help in the face of issues like climate change and fuel poverty.

Suggesting a move towards plant based meat farming, Green has called upon a cross-party committee to address the concerns he has put to Scotland’s parliament, and the radical solutions he has presented.

The campaigners want to phase out animal agriculture (Credit: Alamy)

“The U.N and W.H.O have begun implementing a global educational and practical initiative towards a global plant-based diet,” says the Vote With Your Fork petition.

“This is primarily based upon the need for sustainable global food supplies for the global population, protection of the environment and all animals for 2040 – 2050.

“Here in Scotland, myself and many others support a phased in ban on meat for 2030 – 2040, which also reduces the environmental impact of the livestock food system.

“Scotland should achieve healthy dietary goals by 2030 – 2040 and amongst other dietary priorities, this includes the phasing out of meat consumption.”

The ban on meat would come into place by 2040 (Credit: Pexels)

Scottish Parliament have now marked the petition as under consideration, meaning the points it raises will be discussed.

Green had previously sent a letter to every member of the Scottish Parliament in April of this year, and received two replies – one from a Member of Parliament who “broadly agreed with the content and proposal”, and another who agreed with some of its points but suggested an all-out ban on meat wouldn’t be feasible.

We don’t yet know when Scotland will respond to the petition, but we’ll keep you updated when they do.