Calls have been made for South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) to follow the county and city council and adopt a plant-based catering policy. 

A group of residents living in the district submitted a petition with more than 50 signatures at a council meeting last week, calling on the authority to adopt a fully plant-based catering policy for all internal meetings and events.

Presenting the petition, Jane Lovering, 69, a retired teacher, said: “The climate crisis demands urgent action, and we know that food production plays a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions.

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"Shifting towards plant-based eating is one of the most effective changes we can make to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The group said councillors agreed to address the issue in line with the council’s petition policy.

The submission of the petition came days after the council postponed its net zero goals, pushing back the intended date for the district reaching carbon neutrality from 2030 to 2045. 

This proposal comes after lobbying from the plant-based councils, requesting that the council follows others around the country in promoting healthy plant-based eating.

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The campaign believes that local authorities have an opportunity and a duty to lead the way in normalising plant-based eating, which is "necessary" to tackle the climate emergency.

If passed by the council, this would align SODC with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, which have passed similar motions in recent years.

A spokesperson for SODC confirmed a petition regarding adopting a plant-based catering policy was handed to the council meeting on October 24.