9th January 2024

Latest initiative from Exmouth Town Council to reduce the town’s carbon footprint

Exmouth Town Council has declared its commitment to making Exmouth cleaner, greener and healthier by endorsing the call for the Plant Based Treaty. This endorsement was made as part of their Climate Action Plan, which aims to combat the climate crisis and make the town a thriving, zero-carbon community.

The Plant Based Treaty is a landmark international treaty that puts food systems at the heart of combating the climate crisis. It has three core principles: relinquish, redirect, and restore. Exmouth Town Council recognizes the importance of these principles and is committed to promoting the impact of diet change on the climate, communicating the value of adopting a healthier, sustainable plant-based diet, and improving accessibility and availability of plant-based foods.

According to the most comprehensive analysis to date of UK diets, plant-based diets result in 75% less climate-heating emissions, water pollution, and land use than diets in which more than 100g of meat a day is eaten. Vegan diets also cut the destruction of wildlife by 66% and water use by 54%. The IPCC (2019) Special Report on Land Use shows that a plant-based food system would save almost 8 gigatons equivalent in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Councillor Louise Venables, a resident and town councillor of Exmouth, expressed her pride in the town’s efforts to become a zero-carbon community and the importance of endorsing the Plant Based Treaty at a critical time. “Switching to an increasingly plant-based diet is the simplest and one of the most effective actions we can take to reduce our carbon emissions. Plant-based diets can also improve health, remedy biodiversity, improve animal welfare, and be financially beneficial. We want individuals to be fully informed regarding the impact of diet on the environment and for people to be able to make considered food choices and be supported in transitions to a more plant-focused diet.”

Exmouth Town Council resolves to support tree-planting and rewilding projects, help restore key ecosystems, and enhance food justice by backing projects that provide access to healthy food for all, especially those on a low income. The Plant Based Treaty’s endorsement by Exmouth Town Council is a significant step toward reducing the effects of climate change and making the town a sustainable and healthy place to live.

For more information about Exmouth Town Council’s Plant Based Treaty, visit the website: www.exmouth.gov.uk/plant-based-treaty

If you require any further information on Exmouth Town Council’s Climate Action Plan, please contact Zoey Cooper, Climate and Ecological Emergency Resilience Officer on 01395 276167 or by email: zoey.cooper@exmouth.gov.uk

Contact Information Zoey Cooper, Climate Officer Exmouth Town Council Email: zoey.cooper@exmouth.gov.uk