European Parliament Members welcome hearing from veg advocate Sir Paul McCartney. An animal-free vegan diet could save up to 94% greenhouse gas emissions, while also greatly solving issues of land degradation, biodiversity loss, and ever-intensifying food and water shortages. These were some of the aspects highlighted in Thursday’s European Parliament hearing that specially invited Sir Paul McCartney, former Beatles artist and vegetarian who has been promoting a Meat-Free Mondays campaign since June 2009.
Sir Paul McCartney – Former Beatles member, Vegetarian (M): What can the European Parliament do, and the governments of the world? I suggest that they could encourage and guide people to reduce meat consumption.It's no longer a personal choice. This is something that’s going to affect the whole of the planet.
VOICE: The hearing titled “Climate Change and Food Policy: Less Meat = Less Heat” was chaired by European Parliament Vice President Edward McMillan-Scott, an open vegetarian advocate, and comes on the eve of the key Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.
Edward McMillan-Scott – European Parliament Vice President, Vegetarian (M):We can decide for ourselves now how to slow climate change. Less Meat = Less Heat.
VOICE: Also lending their supportive voices was European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, among other officials.
Jerzy Buzek – President of European Parliament (M): Everybody can give up meat for one day, at least one day a week.
Chris Davies – European Parliament Member (M):I think this is a matter that is serious. I think diet needs to be addressed.
Caroline Lucas – European Parliament Member, VEGAN (F):We’re going to have to have a much less meat-based diet, because it’s simply an incredibly inefficient way of using grain resources in a constrained world.
VOICE: Our gratefulness, Sir Paul McCartney and leaders of the European Parliament and United Nations for your concern and noble initiatives on the vital issue of diet change to address global warming.
Let us all quickly make the necessary transition to the planet-saving veg lifestyle.In her dedicated efforts to help humanity avoid a dire planetary outcome, Supreme Master Ching Hai once more emphasized the immediate and powerful effects of organic vegan fare, in an interview published in the July 2009 edition
of the Irish Sunday Independent.
Supreme Master Ching Hai :The truth is that, scientifically speaking, we have a short time left because we have already waited too long to act. It is better if we concentrate on the solution to save the Earth. We can still do it.
If everyone becomes part of the solution, which is the organic life-saving vegan diet, it's so simple really, it's so simple. It's no sacrifice, it's even better for health, better for everything!
Organic vegan diet, that's all we need to do, for the time being. And any other green technology, we can slowly develop.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jzc3oulh3mmDKPGEEZKrSXK08gBA http://www.kentucky.com/512/story/1044284.htmlhttp://www.examiner.com/x-29556-Cleveland-Vegetarian-Food-Examiner~y2009m12d3-Paul-McCartney-promoting-Meat-Free-Mondays-to-EUhttp://europa.eu/eucalendar/event.shtml?eventId=1241128Food insecurity looms with more rapid climate change. With recent research doubling forecasts due to new information about accelerated ice melt in Antarctica and other regions, a 1.4-meter sea level rise is now being anticipated in coastal areas and islands before the next century.
Countries such as Âu Lạc (Vietnam) are thus calling attention to the issue of food security ahead of the upcoming international negotiations in Copenhagen. Deputy Director of the Aulacese (Vietnamese) Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change Department, Mr. Nguyễn Khắc Hiếu has stated that the anticipated flooding would inundate 31,000 square kilometers of the Mekong Delta – an area about the size of Belgium.
As the world’s second largest rice exporter, the effect to both Âu Lạc and many other countries would be profound. Deputy Director Nguyễn is thus asking that adaptation issues be addressed at the Copenhagen climate summit.
Our appreciation, Deputy Director Nguyễn and Âu Lạc for calling attention to this vital topic at such a crucial juncture for humanity. May the decisions of our world leaders bring unified steps to restore the balance of our ecosphere. During an August 2009 climate change conference in Thailand, Supreme Master Ching Hai
further highlighted the tolls of the current global crisis, while emphasizing the critical need for appropriate action to reverse the situation.
Supreme Master Ching Hai : In Âu Lạc (Vietnam), you probably know of global warming related problems such as the untimely flooding and encroachment of the sea of the Mekong Delta region –
both of which have caused havoc and further threat to the region’s vital rice and fruit crops.
This is due to a combination of sea levels rising, along with the effect of melting glaciers, which are now causing excessive floods but eventually will cause drought and vastly diminished water supplies as well.
So we must work quickly to avoid such unwanted outcomes.
And the most effective way is the organic vegan diet, organic vegetable farming. This is also the fastest way to reverse the increased warming climate to prevent further damage and disaster. If everyone does this – be veg – the Earth will begin to cool and we will have more time to implement the measures to eliminate all the carbon emissions. So please, be veg,and tell everyone else of these benefits.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iUQUHqrFNSnyGROkjhbTqf2dOWwQ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977925407&grpId=3659174697244816&nav=Groupspacehttp://www.rfi.fr/actuvi/articles/120/article_5911.asp,
http://www.france24.com/en/node/4938440 http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/02/content_12571641.htm http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iNBHb6KnUMTIa-zGMZ_bgwwgAM5wExtra NewsMoscow, Russia posts the warmest winter temperature in 111 years as thermometers reached 8.1 degrees Celsius.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091202/157068466.htmlSingapore and India announce their countries’ plans to reduce emission levels by 16 and 24%, respectively, by 2020 to show their commitment to curbing climate change ahead of the Copenhagen conference.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20091203-183611.htmlhttp://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/india-to-reduce-carbon-intensity-by-24-percent-by-2020_100283274.htmlThe UN Development Program holds a contest for African photographers to portray ways that citizens are working every day to mitigate the effects of climate change, with winning photos that reflect both personal dedication and joy.
http://allafrica.com/photoessay/Caring_for_the_Earth/http://www.undp.org/picturethis/about.shtmlNepal’s government holds the highest altitude cabinet meeting ever at the 17,192-foot Mount Everest Base Camp, to raise awareness of the devastated Himalayas that are melting at an alarming rate due to climate change.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/29/content_12560730.htm