The United Nations Environment Assembly just voted to adopt a resolution that recognizes the vital links between animal welfare and the environmental crises.

New York City, NY (March 2, 2022) — Vital links between animal welfare and the environmental crises will be formally recognized for the first time at a global level after the adoption of a historic resolution today (Wednesday, March 2) at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5).

At the fifth session of UNEA, in Nairobi, Kenya, a crucial resolution was passed that will help develop a better understanding of the relationship between improving animal welfare and tackling the drivers of wildlife loss, climate change, pollution and pandemic diseases.

The resolution on the Nexus between Animal Welfare, Environment and Sustainable Development calls on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director to prepare a report exploring the link between animal welfare, the environment and sustainable development.

This includes stopping biodiversity loss, restoring ecosystems, reducing climate change, pollution and the risk of new infectious diseases that can pass from animals to humans.

A further resolution on Sustainable Nitrogen Management was also passed, marking an important victory against nitrogen pollution, an enormous planetary challenge. However, it is a missed opportunity that the goal to halve nitrogen waste globally by 2030 was lost in the negotiations.

This is a momentous decision for animal welfare. Improving animal welfare is vital to securing a sustainable future for animals, people, and the planet, so the adoption of this resolution is hugely significant, although it’s just the beginning,” said Ben Williamson, U.S. Executive Director, Compassion in World Farming.

It’s now up to all Member States and UNEP to fully implement the resolution agreed today to ensure the improvement of animal welfare and nature protection at the country level across the globe. We look forward to working with the U.S. on the national implementation.

Compassion worked as part of a major global movement of animal welfare groups raising support for the adoption of the resolution, under the leadership of Compassion trustee Josphat Ngonyo and the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), together with the World Federation for Animals and AU-IBAR. Together the groups wrote to environment ministries across the globe urging them to back the resolution, which was universally passed by 193 countries.

The resolution was initiated by the government of Ghana and co-sponsored by six other Member States: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Pakistan.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please email Ronnika.McFall@ciwf.org.

About Compassion in World Farming:

Compassion in World Farming is a global farmed animal protection organization that campaigns peacefully to end factory farming and replace it with a food system that is compassionate, fair, and sustainable for all. The charity is dedicated to reforming a broken food and farming system and introducing a more humane, fair, and sustainable one. Compassion engages with the world’s leading food companies to create and adopt meaningful animal welfare policies while tracking progress against those commitments to ensure compliance. It works tirelessly towards a better future for animals, people, and the planet by educating concerned consumers and supporting meaningful public policy. With headquarters in the U.K., we have offices across Europe, in the U.S., China and South Africa. To find out more about Compassion in World Farming or join the movement, visit: ciwf.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Media Contact

Ronnika A. McFall, APR

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Ronnika.McFall@ciwf.org
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Compassion in World Farming USA