London could take steps towards veganism following Green Party recommendations to improve access to plant-based food in the capital.
Green Party member Zack Polanski has urged Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to sign a treaty which would introduce vegan meals in schools and prevent the building of new animal farms.
This follows Khan’s confirmation that the Greater London Authority (GLA) group will prioritise animal welfare in their plans for 2025.
Polanski said: “London shouldn’t just be a city of progress, it should be a city of kindness.
“Whenever the mayor uses public money, it should go to organisations which ensure the strictest rights are in place for human beings, workers, and animal welfare.”
In 2023, Polanksi wrote an open letter to Khan which addresses the meat industry as a driver of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
Polanski explained home-cooked vegan meals are often cheaper, better for the planet, and better for our health.
‘Veganuary’, a campaign that encourages a vegan diet every January, can help raise awareness and support for a plant-based lifestyle, but Polanski expressed it’s ultimately not enough to help improve animal welfare.
He said: “We need to ask what more the Mayor could be doing and try to raise the bar of what can happen.
“Just saying we have animal welfare policies is not enough if we know that there are animals being slaughtered every day.”
More recently, Polanski has appealed for plant-based meals to be the default option in schools, which he hopes will be integrated into Khan’s free school meals initiative.
Polanski worked with the non-profit organisation ProVeg on their flagship programme, School Plates, which helps schools to serve plant-based, climate-friendly meals.
Since the programme’s launch, ProVeg have helped more than 47.4 million meals be swapped for healthier and more sustainable alternatives.
A ProVeg representative said: “Educating children on the importance of their food choices now will better equip future generations with the understanding needed to protect our planet.
“Providing plant-based meals in schools has already proven to be an efficient and effective way to reduce our carbon footprint, and it’s an easy swap.”
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