The 10th anniversary of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) classification of processed red meat as a carcinogen is drawing attention to its health and environmental impacts, with implications for the upcoming COP30 summit in Brazil.
“Governments must seize the opportunity presented by COP30 to accelerate the promotion of plant-based food”
The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed red meat as a Group 1 carcinogen in 2015, indicating that its consumption can cause cancer in humans. According to the IARC, eating 50 grams of processed meat daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by approximately 18%.
This milestone comes just weeks before COP30, where global climate discussions will take place from November 10-21 in Belém, Brazil. ProVeg International, a prominent advocacy organization focused on plant-based diets, is planning to present a Declaration calling on UN member states to create national Action Plans for Plant-Based Foods by COP32 in 2027. ProVeg advocates for increased promotion of plant-based diets as part of efforts to combat the health and environmental consequences associated with meat production.
Jasmijn de Boo, Global CEO of ProVeg, explained, “With what we know about the health and environmental impact of industrially produced meat, we hope to see clear messages coming out of this year’s climate summit that highlight the importance of plant-rich diets for public health and the planet.” De Boo noted that transitioning to plant-based foods benefits not only human health but also industry, farmers and the environment.
In addition to the Declaration, ProVeg will also promote its Cultiva project at COP30. Launched in Brazil, Cultiva supports livestock farmers in transitioning to plant-based agroforestry, providing a more sustainable and climate-friendly alternative to traditional animal farming.
A critical moment for policy change
The call for plant-based diets is further supported by recent updates to the EAT-Lancet Commission’s Planetary Health Diet. The revised diet, designed to meet the needs of a global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, emphasizes the importance of plant-rich foods, recommending limited consumption of meat and dairy.
De Boo continued, “Governments must seize the opportunity presented by COP30 to accelerate the promotion of plant-based food if they want to effectively tackle the relentless deforestation, biodiversity loss and pollution of rivers and waterways caused by intensive animal farming.”
