Probably you know the name Rajendra Pachauri. On April 20th, 2002, this Indian economist was elected the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations panel established by the WMO and UNEP to assess information relevant for understanding climate change. Just five years after his election, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who had earlier criticised Pachauri when he was first elected in 2002. In its press release, the Nobel Prize Committee said:
“…the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared, in two equal parts, between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”
I thank this knowledge not only to the wisdom of Wikipedia. In september 2007, I got the unforgetable chance to meet Mr. Rajendra at the NGO-DPI Conference on Climate Change at the United Nations in New York. Of all the speeches in the big General Assembly hall, his words got through and kept spinning in my head. Especially the last sentence he added and (to my surprise) was answered by a huge applause ” … but the first step we all can make in our fight against climate change, is reducing our consumption of meat“.
Coincidence or not, but one year later Pachauri followed me 
to Belgium, where he speeched in the University of Ghent about the effects of meat on Climate Change
Me, being a vegetarian (no meat, no fish) for 11 years already and a vegan (no animal products at all) since last summer, felt encouraged by the words of this prominent speaker. Great was my disappointment at the UN when I realized I was again one of the only participants who choosed the the vegetarian option in the United Nations restaurant. The same happened last week at the launch event of Th!nk About It at the European Parliament. No offence, but for lunch everybody who didn’t ask differently got standard a sandwish with meat, the vegetarians got a cheese sandwish and me, the only vegan got… raw salad. Yes, I like salad, even if it’s without any dressing or protein sources with it, still it didn’t really stimulate the popularity of my vegan diet. I explained to some other participants with hands and descriptions of rich rice, soft quinoa, precious pasta and vegan indian curry that I eat more varied than the average rabbit. Yet, it is clear that even at the place where people should think actively about the role of animal products in social and environmental issues, the vegetarian/vegan example seems very far away.
Maybe this is the place to tackle this. As I said, my knowledge about European Politics is limited. BUT, I know the EU has something to say about Climate Change, Food, Environment, Agriculture, Health and Social equality… exactly the fields in which meat plays an undeniable role. In an interview with TobiasLeenaert, chair of EVA vzw (Belgian Vegetarian Association), I got to know Europe even INCREASED subsidies for the intensive meat industry recently, instead of decreasing it. If Europe can make a difference in a specific issue, touching upon various other fields at the same time, it must be meat! Shall I convince a MEP to try out a vegetarian diet for a week? Or should I seduce the catering service of the European Parliament to make meat on ‘option’ and the vegetarian meal a standard? Ideas are more than welcome… in the meanwhile my brain keeps twinkling inspired by Pachauri’s letter to the world. (I’ll translate it from Dutch to English, don’t mind my translation mistakes)
Dear reader,
Lifestock is worldwide responsible for more than 18 percent of the total green house emissions. (Source: FAO, Livestock’s long shadow, 2007). So, the meat production is one of the most important causes for the global warming. Still, people –especially in a society with higher incomes- keep eating meat irresponsibly. This high meat consumption doesn’t only have negative effects on the climate, but also increases the risks on heart and vascular diseases, obesities, diabetes and several cancers. That’s why it is is important to mediate our meat consumption. Eating less meat means less green houses gases in the air.
Because during the production of meat so many green houses gases escape, the fork could be a very important tool in our fight against climate change. Every time you eat vegetarian, you help the reduce of green house emission that causes climate change. Even if you only eat vegetarian food once a week, then you save more than 170 kg CO2 a year! To give you an idea: that is the same amount you would reduce by driving 1100 km less by car! So, eating vegetarian is a perfect recipe against climate change…
But… one person can of course not do it alone. Also the government has his duty to make the choice for a sustainable vegetarian alternative easier and cheaper. Different alternatives and options could lead to decreased meat consumption and climate friendly life styles. A society must decide on that by own consensus. Organisations like EVA vzw (Belgian Vegetarian Association) has a whole list of action ready to be used by governments. It is to the parliaments and governments to decide how they take this problem into consideration.
Sincerely,
Rajendra Pachauri
Chair IPCC
Nobel Peace Prize winner 2007
My choice for a sustainable life style is already made. But when will Europe take action? I will try to find it out in the next weeks…
(119 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5)
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По моему у Вас украли эту статью и поместили на другом сайте. Я её уже видела.
I’ll use some of the figures at home. I’ll report you about the responses of meat lovers in this house…So, I’ll use a strategy act local first
Thanks Tanja,
Please keep me informed.
Good luck
Veerle
I am a vegetarian as well. For 2 and a half years. Though I do eat fish every now and then, which I will probably give up in time. I think your attitude might be a bit exagerrated in the sense it is promoting veganism - which is difficult to digest even for vegetarians. Also, I think as vegetarians we should take a gradual approach. “No meat at all” won’t be understood by most people, unfortunately. Instead, we could point out the effects of intensive farming (including raising animals). I think it would be wiser to have an incremental approach to this.
@ Corina: Don’t get me wrong, Corina. I just say I am a vegan, because I feel better that way, both from the health, ethical, environmental and social point of view. Still, that doesn’t mean I think every life-long meat-eater will be able to put his/her diet totally upside down at once.
For me it was not hard at all to leave meat and fish out of my food pyramid, but I took 9 years to decrease my diary and egg-consumption, as I got to know more about the circumstances of intensive diary farming and egg batteries and its effects on the world around us.
What I am talking about here is the decrease in meat consumption. Not because I think people can suddenly stop consuming animals, but because Europe is currently eating THREE times more meat than recommended by the World Health Organization, because the bad consequences of meat consumption are hidden by politician out of economic fear, because Europe even increased financial resources for intensive farming instead of proposing a gradual consciousness towards a more environmental friendly diet, even if they would just encourage a campaign like ‘Thursday, veggieday’ (Campaign by EVA vzw, which promotes one vegetarian day a week).
What frustrates me is the fact they ignore this main cause of global warming. This while Climate Change seems to be one of the most important point on the agenda of almost all political parties involved…
“Still, that doesn’t mean I think every life-long meat-eater will be able to put his/her diet totally upside down at once.”
But do you think we should?
You’re a vegan; that’s your choice and you’re welcome to it, but please recognize that it is wildly different from how the rest of the world lives; and we, the overwhelming majority of carnivores, are under no obligation to accomodate you.
This is similar to the EU’s ban on smoking in pubs: I don’t smoke tobacco and never have (tried it - wasn’t into it), but I was annoyed by the ban, because everyone knows a pub is the sort of place where people smoke; if you can’t stand it, don’t go there, and if there are enough of you, there will be pubs where owners do not allow smoking.
But it is fundamentally wrong to impose your discomfort on others. We’re Europeans, so we’re nice and tolerant and will make sure you have a vegan meal, but don’t expect anything better than rabbit food.
(And for the record, the fillet mignon at La Manufacture was delicious.)
That’s a bit offensive, Andrei. And I believe you’ve tramped a bit the values of this community. Excellent you’re making arguments, too bad you’re excessively sarcastic (to the point you’re missing the point - which was about global warming and EU policies in this field) when making them. On the other hand, there are plenty of accommodations we make, not by virtue of being European, but simply by virtue of being civil to our fellow citizens’ preferences. Offering a wide diversity of food, when institutional finances allow it, is just part of this spirit. Accepting gay clubs, culture and relationships is another, and I bet with your creativity you can think of several others. Also, I believe your comparison between the smoking ban and vegetarianism is a logical slip, since the smoking ban was not a matter of accommodating preferences, but a matter of public health. Just as kids sick with flu are banned from kindergardens in order not to have them infect other kids, smoking is banned in public places, so that smokers won’t affect other people’s health.
It’s a lot less offensive than it was at first, trust me.
Values of this community? Are we here to be touchy-feely and talk about how Europe is this awesome place full of rainbows and unicorns, or do we want to try and figure out something serious?
I accept gay clubs - but I don’t want my government to institute a minimum quota of one gay club per X population. There is an old maxim left over from Western propaganda aimed at the Communist bloc, which is “my freedom stops just short of the tip of your nose”. It was never completely practiced by its preachers, but it ought to be.
To demand that the rest of the world become vegetarian because of global warming is both counter-productive and offensive to European values. Nobel laureates are subject to higher standards, so for someone who is honoured by Western society as the supposed saviour of the planet to say something as trite as “stop eating meat” is just plain stupid.
I support bans on smoking in banks, shops, government institutions, even restaurants. But, as I already said, when you go to a pub, you expect a certain type of conditions, so a ban on smoking in pubs and bars is an invasion into an individual’s right to choose. If you can’t see the difference between that and sick children in kindergartens, who’s really making the logical slip?
@ Andrei
Your comment significantly reminds me of the reaction of the major or London after Pachauri’s lecture. Talking about ‘us, the carnivores’ and ending with the expression your appetite when eating a beloved piece of meat. The major of London even stated he would start to eat more meat in order to compensate the efforts environmentalists are doing, to encourage the intensive animal farming.
Sounds like someone who decides do take the car even more often instead of public transportation to support the car industry or who leaves the tap open and the lights on all day by purpose because the water and electricity company will gain more money with more energy and water use. Of course I can write a debate for that and conclude with quotes like how I enjoy taking the fast airplane when others get delayed by taking the train, or how delicious it is turn your house into a sauna during winter. still, I prefer to actively go for a sustainable approach and especially in times where the European Parliament and national governments claim to finally ‘do something’ against climate change.
I don’t agree with your comparison between meat consumption and smoking.
1) Smoking is not responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, so it doesn’t bring the planet into danger like the irresponsible (3 times more than recommended) consumption of meat does.
2) The only parallel is the fact that extensive use of both products is bad for your own health, with smoking being bad for other people’s health too (for that reason it has been forbidden in most public spaces (schools, restaurants, trains, etc) in Europe).
3) And yes, I think Europe should accomodate and encourage people who contribute their part in the fight against global warming. I don’t know about other countries, but at least in Belgium, the government gives subsidies for people who choose green solutions (for example isolation, low CO2 emission heating systems, solar energy), campaigns encourage the use of public transportation and there is a consensus of the public opinion we shouldn’t boycot the efforts of others to combat climate change and environmental problems, but see it as an example for ourselves. I know for example a man who takes the bike every day instead of the car. Knowing him doesn’t make me leave the car at home all the time, but he made me think ‘it’s actually possible’. Instead of taking the car more to compensate his efforts, I think for myself about the other alternatives before choosing an environment-unfriendly option. It’s all about LESS, decreasing, … not about a all-or-nothing, a carnivore-or-vegan approach, a ‘plane-lover’-or-’my environmentalist friend on his bike’. And yes, I still think Europe should support this green solution too, as it is one of the main causes of global warming.
“Sounds like someone who decides do take the car even more often instead of public transportation to support the car industry or who leaves the tap open and the lights on all day by purpose because the water and electricity company will gain more money with more energy and water use.”
You’re joking, right?
Jens Holm used to be the only vegan in the European parliament. But after 14 years, he gave up his diet last year as he deemed it impossible to access healthy food with all his travels and especially when he is at the parliament meetings. How sad is that? The EP should be a pride example for the rest of the continent, not another obstacle for the people who try to do good.
Jens still refuses meet, though, and is working hard for animal rights and to get recognition for the environmental impact of the meet industry. Hats off to a politican who knows what matters and listens to experts, not lobbyists.
[...] Someone I’ve heard of placed an observative post today on TH!NK ABOUT IT - european blogging competition 2009 Blog Archive …Here’s a quick excerpt1) Smoking is not responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, so it doesn’t bring the planet into danger like the irresponsible (3 times more than recommended) consumption of meat does. … [...]
@Andrei
“You’re a vegan; that’s your choice and you’re welcome to it, but please recognize that it is wildly different from how the rest of the world lives; and we, the overwhelming majority of carnivores, are under no obligation to accomodate you.”
Have you actually read the entries on Veerles blog? I mean: read it and actually thought about it before feeling attacked?
I read them through and I must say: they have a point!
Hail to the vegan youngster! At least youth isn’t wasted on you. But “I thank this knowledge to the wisdom of x” can’t be proper Englisch, can it?
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