Bath residents gathered at the Guildhall on April 25 as a way of calling on B&NES Council to show climate leadership by switching to 100 per cent plant-based catering in their internal meetings and events.

The group is the latest to be set up as part of the national Plant-Based Councils campaign. They posed with a banner reading “Plant-Based Councils” to call on the council to back the campaign.

Mathew Thomas, a resident from Bath, said at the event: “The council declared a climate and ecological emergency over four years ago now and its primary focus so far has centred on lowering transport emissions. We are here to highlight the serious impact our food choices have on the climate and environment.

“Animal agriculture is responsible for more emissions than the entire transportation industry combined. The council have said they will ‘lead by example’ on climate, so they have a responsibility to act. Going plant-based is an instant win for the planet.”

Plant-Based Councils, an Animal Rising campaign, is a national initiative of residents who are pushing for their councils to adopt 100 per cent plant-based catering. The campaign is active in over 45 councils. The group encourages residents to sign up to run a local campaign by visiting their website: www.plantbasedcouncils.org.