Ανοιχτή Επιστολή της Bardot στον Πρόεδρο της EE Βarroso

On behalf of the Fondation Brigitte Bardot we would like to invite you to endorse a letter to EC President Barroso, written by Brigitte Bardot.

Send email to: info@evana.org

November 2009

Mr. President,

In a few weeks time the climate summit in Copenhagen will take place and I would like to draw your attention to the need for an investigation of livestock farming, the environmental impact of which is very alarming.

As you know, in their report “Livestock a major threat to environment”, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) states that the livestock sector is emitting more greenhouse gases than those produced by transport (all means combined).

Furthermore the World Bank notified that since 1970, 90% of Amazon deforestation is related to the requirements of the meat industry, thus aggravating the effects of global warming, which worry us so much today.

Moreover, the sector is responsible for 37% of all methane due to human activities (which influence global warming 23 times more than CO2), mainly produced by the digestive systems of ruminants, and 64% of ammonia which contributes to acid rain.

Factory farming also degrades soil and endangers natural water reserves because the production of only one kilo of beef requires 323 m² of grazing land, 7 to 16 kilos of grains or soy and up to 15.500 liters of water!

Thus the livestock sector has a direct impact on global warming, the pollution of soil and water sources, and is a terrible waste since nearly a third of globally harvested cereals are being used for the production of meat.

If the “developed” countries decreased their meat consumption, it would be possible to considerably alleviate global hunger, which kills nearly six million children each year.

Mr. President, faced with these undeniable and somewhat alarming facts, it is our collective duty to act on all levels, including the promotion of a vegetarian lifestyle.

The launch of a “European Vegetarian Day” would be a strong signal. The already existing “World Vegetarian Day” on 1 October unfortunately still lacks official acknowledgement in Europe and for that reason it would be extremely positive to promote this special event within the community of all EU member states and reinforce the initiative by an information campaign about the environmental impact of livestock.

Vegetarianism is an initiative of responsible citizens. To refuse meat consumption represents also the best way to protest against the inhumanity and cruelty on factory farms, during transports and during the slaughter of billions of animals that are sacrificed and eaten each year.

Mr. President, I thank you for taking our concerns into account and discussing this matter during the next climate summit.

Sincerely

Brigitte Bardot
President Fondation Brigitte Bardot
28 rue Vineuse
75116 Paris

This letter has been endorsed by more than 40 EU/intern. NGOs so far

List of endorsements of Brigitte Bardot's Open letter to the President of the European Commission: 'The launch of a 'European Vegetarian Day' would be a strong signal'

For interviews please contact:

Christophe Marie

Directeur Bureau Protection Animale

Fondation Brigitte Bardot

28 rue Vineuse

75116 Paris

Tél. + 33 (0)1 45 05 94 58

Fax : 33 (0)1 45 05 14 80

e-mail Christophe.Marie@fondationbrigittebardot.fr

10 November 2009

The Open Letter sent by Brigitte Bardot to the President of the European Commission is endorsed by the following organisations:

Achaic Society for the Care of Animals, Greece

e-mail: anastasiapatras@gmail.com

Aesop's Kavala Animal Rescue, Greece

http://www.aesops.gr

Agire Ora Network, Italy

www.agireora.org

Aktionsgemeinschaft Schweizer Tierversuchsgegner, Switzerland

http://www.agstg.ch

All Creatures Guide to cruelty-free Kingdom Living, USA

www.All-Creatures.org

Animal Aid, UK

http://www.animalaid.org.uk

Animal Consultants International, UK

www.animalconsultants.org/

Animal Destiny, France

http://animaldestiny-asso.wifeo.com

Animal Friends Croatia

http://www.animal-friends-croatia.org

Animalisti Svizzeri, Switzerland

animalistisvizzeri@yahoogroups.com

Animal Life Foundation, Netherlands

http://www.animallifefoundation.com

Animal Protection, Greece

e-mail: animalprotection@otenet.gr

Animal Rights and Liberation Society, Slovenia

www.osvoboditev-zivali.org

Animal Rights Lithuania

www.animalrights.lt

Animals Asia Foundation

http://www.animalsasia.org/

Animals Count, UK

Political party for people and animals

www.animalscount.org

Anti-Fur Society, International

www.antifursociety.org

asociatia zdreanta oipa member league, Romania

www.zdreanta.3x.ro

Association Veg'Asso, France

www.vegetarisme.info

Association Végétarienne de France

www.vegetarisme.fr

Association Végétarienne & Végétalienne, France

http://avis.free.fr

Beauty Without Cruelty, India

www.bwcindia.org

Beirut for Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA), Lebanon

www.betalebanon.org

Bella Vitalis, Netherlands

www.BellaVitalis.nl

Blue Cross of India

www.bluecrossofindia.org

Bunny Huggers, UK

www.bunnyhuggers.org.uk

Campaign Against Animals in Research Experiments, UK

www.caare.org.uk

CAPE-India

(Care of Animals & Protection of Environment-India)

e-mail: capeindia1@gmail.com

Cat Sanctuary 'Zenka' , Serbia

www.cathouse.bravehost.com

Centro Vegetariano, Portugal

www.centrovegetariano.org

Citizens for the Rights of Nature and Life, Greece

http://pofyzo.blogspot.com/

Cornwalls Voice for Animals & Jollity Farm

www.cornwallsvoiceforanimals.org

C P Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, Chennai/India

www.cprfoundation.org

CPR Environmental Education Centre, Chennai/India

www.cpreec.org

Dansk Vegetarforening, Denmark

www.vegetarforening.dk

Echo Verlag, Germany

www.echoverlag.de

Eco-Eating - Dan Brook, Ph.D.

www.brook.com/veg

Ecological Co-operation, Greece

e-mail: giokalli@gmail.com

Ecological society of Evros, Greece

e-mail: evrooikologika@yahoo.gr

EcoVeg!

www.EcoVeg.net

Edinburgh the Fur-Free City, UK

www.edinburghfurfreecity.co.uk

Ethical Treatment of Animals “Life”, Ukraine

www.cetalife.com.ua

European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance (EVANA), International

www.evana.org

European Vegetarian Union, Europe

www.euroveg.eu

Ethical Vegetarian Alternative (EVA), Belgium

http://www.vegetarisme.be/

Farm Animal Rights Movement, USA

www.farmusa.org

Federatia Nationala pentru Protectia Animalelor (FNPA), Romania

(National Federation for Animal Protection)

e-mail: fnpa@mail.com

Filozoikos Syllogos Neas Filadelfias, Greece

e-mail kyka@otenet.gr

Friends of the Animals, Greece

Animal Welfare Society

e-mail: helegry@hol.gr

GlobeTransformer - Help us to save the Earth!

www.GlobeTransformer.org

Gluecklich leben ohne Fleisch, Switzerland

www.legalbanofmeat.info

Greek Animal Rescue

www.greekanimalrescue.com/

Help the Strays, Switzerland

www.helpthestrays.com

Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA), USA

www.JewishVeg.com

KEPETRI, Greece

e-mail kepetri@otenet.gr

L214, France

http://www.l214.com/

LOVE, Greece

Stray Animals Care Organization

e-mail spazth@hotmail.com

Mangez Végétarien, France

http://www.mangez-vegetarien.com/

Menschen für Tierrechte -

Tierversuchsgegner Baden-Württemberg e.V. , Germany

www.tierrechte-bw.de

Misha Foundation, International

www.mishafoundation.org

Nutrition Ecology International Center - NEIC, International

http://www.nutritionecology.org/

NZ Vegetarian Society Inc, New Zealand

www.vegetarian.org.nz

ΟΙΚΟΡΑΜΑ, Greece

http://oikorama.blogspot.com

ΟΙΚΟΖΩΗ, Greece

Umwelt & Kulturelle Vereinigung

e-mail: sykionia@gmail.com

Paros Animal Welfare Society – PAWS, Greece

www.paws.gr

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India

www.petaindia.com

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), USA

www.peta.org

Portuguese Vegetarian Association, Portugal

www.avp.org.pt

ReACT! - Movement for Animal Rights and Veganism

http://www.react-online.de/

Right to Life, Greece

Association for the Protection of Animals and the Environment

e-mail: olgakikou@yahoo.com

San Francisco Vegetarian Society (SFVS), USA

www.sfvs.org

Santorini Animal Welfare Association - SAWA, Greece

http://www.sawasantorini.org

SAPT Hellas, Greece

www.sapt.gr

Schützer der Erde e.V. Esselbach, Germany

www.schuetzer-der-erde.de

Schweizerische Vereinigung für Vegetarismus, Switzerland

www.vegetarismus.ch

SHARAN, India

www.sharan-india.org

Sociedade Portuguesa de Naturalogia, Portugal

www.spn.eco-gaia.net

Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira, Brazil

www.svb.org.br

Societatea Vegetarienilor din Romania, Romania

www.svr.ro/

Society for the Protection of Stray Animals SPAZ, Greece

e-mail: elizkou@hotmail.com

Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians, International

http://www.serv-online.org/

Svoboda zvirat (Freedom For Animals), Czech Republic

www.svobodazvirat.cz

THE ARK, Greece

Animal friendly organization

www.corfuanimalwelfare.com

THE HOPE, Greece

Association of animal friends

e-mail: elpidafs@gmail.com

The Path of the Heart, UK

http://www.tonysamara.org/

The Vegetarian Mitzvah

www.brook.com/jveg

The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom

www.vegsoc.org

Tierschutznews CH, Switzerland

www.tierschutznews.ch

Unión Vegetariana Española, Spain

www.unionvegetariana.org

VeganHome, on-line vegan community, Italy

http://www.veganhome.it

Vegan Village, UK

www.veganvillage.co.uk

Vegan Voice: Australia's Celebrated & Singular Quarterly Magazine

www.veganic.net

Veg Climate Alliance, International

www.vegclimatealliance.org/

Vegetarian for Life, UK

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk

Vegetarian Society, Singapore

www.vss.sg

VeggieJews, International

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/veggiejews/

Veggies Catering Campaign, UK

http://www.veggies.org.uk

VIER PFOTEN – Stiftung für Tierschutz, Germany

www.vier-pfoten.org

VITA - Animal Rights Center, Russia

www.vita.org.ru/english/english.htm

Viva! UK

www.viva.org.uk

Viva! Poland

www.viva.org.pl

VIVO, Comitato per un consumo consapevole, Italy

http://www.consumoconsapevole.org/

YMITTOS, Greece

Animal Welfare & Environmental Society of Argyroupolis

e-mail: ahatjiaggelis@cotsis.gr

ZOPHOROS, Greece

environment-civilization-animal welfare

www.zophoros.ning.com

Source: Fondation Brigitte Bardot

Date: 2009-11-10