Taipei [Taiwan], November 17 : Nearly 2,000 people marched through the streets of Taipei yesterday, calling on the government to introduce vegan diets into school meals.
The participants, organised by the Sustainable Healthy Diets Research Institute, aimed to raise awareness about the environmental benefits of plant-based diets, specifically their potential to reduce methane emissions and support Taiwan's sustainability goals, Taipei Times reported.
The marchers carried signs with slogans and donned animal-themed costumes, promoting respect for life and encouraging others to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
Chang You-chuan, Director-General of the institute, explained that the goal was to make people more aware of the importance of a vegan diet, while also acknowledging the challenges in achieving widespread adoption.
"It is encouraging that some in politics have been holding public hearings on such issues," Chang said, but added that there is still a long way to go.
Legislator Huang Kuo-chang of the Taiwan People's Party, who attended the event, expressed his support for the cause, emphasising the critical role vegan diets play in global sustainability efforts. He pledged to push for related measures in the Legislative Yuan.
Former New Power Party Legislator Chen Jiau-hua pointed to research from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, which links animal husbandry to significant carbon emissions, and argued that promoting vegan or plant-based diets is an effective way to reduce those emissions, reported Taipei Times.
The event also saw discussions about Taiwan's future carbon reduction goals, with Ho Tsung-hsun of the Taiwan Citizen Participation Association predicting that the government will revise its 2030 goals to exceed 30 per cent carbon reduction by 2032.
Experts, including Chunghua Global Vegan Association consultant Chiu Chung-jen, stressed that vegan diets have a lower carbon footprint than meat-based ones and are key to achieving the government's net-zero objectives, Taipei Times reported.
The call for a no-meat day in schools was also voiced by Chang Chia-pei of Meat Free Monday Taiwan, while Pan Ting-tse of Kindness to Animals emphasised compassion toward animals, stating, "Animals are our neighbours and friends, and we should not kill our friends and eat our neighbours."
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