Vegans disappointed at the outcome of COP26
20,000 delegates and world leaders from 200 countries gathered in Glasgow in November to tackle the climate emergency. The 26th ‘Conference of the Parties’ summit was regarded by many as the world’s last chance to come up with solutions to the climate crisis, and to keep global temperature increase to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
In Ireland, there are many more regulations of the manufacture, distribution, and sale of a stuffed toy than the transport, sale, and keeping of a live, exotic pet. However, to be fair, most everything is regulated more than the exotic pet trade in Ireland – it is also true that in Ireland you need a licence to own a television or a pet dog, but not to own an endangered species.
Healthy and sustainable diets are generally cheaper than current diets, with vegetarian and vegan diets the most affordable, according to a study published in the journal Lancet Planet Health by researchers at the University of Oxford and Tufts University, USA.
According to the International Labour Organisation in 2016 there were an estimated 40.3 million people in modern slavery, including 24.9 million in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriage. Of these an estimated 2.74 million (11%) were in the agriculture and fishing sectors.
Denmark’s Social-Democrat government has one of the most ambitious plans to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the world aiming for a 70% reduction by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels), going beyond the 55% target agreed to by European Union (EU) Member States.
The Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced on September 18 that after years of negotiations, Ireland struck a deal with China which would see Ireland exporting sheep meat and live pigs thousands of miles to China. In his announcement, McConalogue described the deal as an “important milestone in gaining access to the Chinese market” and added that the live export of breeding pigs, “is a niche market opportunity” which “reflects well on the breeding population developed by specialist Irish producers”.
