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