Stop animal production! Save the climate!
Call for the demonstration against the “EuroTier” on the 12. November 2016 in Hanover
Come to the first major demonstration against EuroTier “the world’s leading trade fair for animal production”. EuroTier is a central meeting point for trade, management and the exchange of knowledge around animal production. We oppose animal production because we see it as an extreme form of exploitation of nature, animals and humans. Despite causing immense harm to the environment and the climate, this industry is rapidly growing. In order to have any chance to slow down climate change and species loss and to ensure good nutrition for all we have to stop animal production and radically transform our agriculture.
Environment and Climate
Each year over 60 million mammals and birds are “used” for the production of meat, milk, eggs and other animal products.1 If the current growth of the livestock industry continues this number will exceed 100 billion by the middle of this century. 2 Additionally, several billion aquatic animals are killed each year. Many of these were industrially farmed and fed. 3
The effects on the environment and the climate are catastrophic. Animal “husbandry” has always been a significant driver of deforestation, but today animal production is held responsible for between 14 and 25% (depending on which report you look at) of all greenhouse gases.4 Land use, particularly the production of animal feed is the cause of significant CO2 emissions, not to mention the climate-killing gases from ruminant digestive systems.
But it’s not just climate change: other planetary limits, such as those related to land use and biochemical cyles such as the nitrogen cycle, are threatened or broken by the livestock industry.5 Currently more than one third of the land worldwide is already either heavily contaminated or unusable. As the main consumer of staples such as soy, corn and grains, the animal feed industry has a particular responsibility for this situation. 6The huge quantities of untreated faeces from livestock farming is having a huge impact on the planet’s nitrogen cycle and threatens the ecological function of water bodies.7Furthermore, the production of animal products consumes significantly more water and fossil fuels than the production of plant-based food.5
Extinction, Exploitation and Oppression
Animal Production is also a significant driver of biodiversity destruction – both of plants and animals.5 Countless animals, entire species even, die when habitats are destroyed to make way for agribusiness.8Animal production itself requires the violent exploitation of sentient beings. Farmed animals are systematically violated – by breeding and genetic modification for more ‘efficiency’, physical mutilation, confinement in low-stimulus environment, separation of young animals from their parents, acceptance of disease and severe suffering, and slaughter at the most economically viable point.9
Sentient individuals are turned into commodities and their existence is completely subordinated to the interest of production. In the context of the economically growing and politically enforced bioeconomy, animals are explicitly seen as mere biomass. Waste from slaughterhouses, manure and other byproducts of animal production are cynically propagated as “renewable” resources (i.e. for the production of biofuels).10
Furthermore, the profitability of animal production often relies on extreme and continuous violations of human rights and undemocratic, repressive politics. In the global south the very existence of indigenous cultures is being threatened by land grabbing by and on behalf of the animal feed industry. 11All over the world small-scale farmers are losing their livelihood.12 In the global north meat processing companies stand accused of abusing workers rights, such as depressing wages and even human trafficking.13 Slaughterhouses and animal facilities are being constructed despite widespread local opposition.14
Ethics and Politics
The question of animal production is in many ways simply a question of justice. Just as with other industries that harm the climate, the solutions aren’t to be found in growth focused technological development – despite what politicians and economists may say. Instead, we have to completely renegotiate, individually and communally, throughout the world, how we want to live, if and how we want to limit and carry the costs of our lives. The official international and national efforts to apply goals of sustainability and protection of the climate, have turned out to be merely a greenwash for business as usual: environmentally destructive, profit oriented industry which benefit only the elites.15
A growing global movement for climate justice and “System Change not Climate Change” is demanding fundamental change. Until now the grassroots climate movement in Germany has, as with mainstream politics, focused mostly on fossil fuels. It is time to consider the wider issues around climate change and to address animal production, particularly industrial animal production as a major “Climate Killer”.
EuroTier
Every two years those involved in livestock farming and agriculture, as well as those in related industries along with politicians and bureaucrats meet in Hanover for one of the biggest trade fairs for livestock farming worldwide. Around 16,000 visitors find out “about the newest trends and innovations in the field of livestock farming, management and services” from over 2000 stands and trade events and conferences. In animal shows living cows, pigs and other animals are presented as means of production.16
The location of the EuroTier is itself significant: Germany produces ever more meat, and is set to break yet another production record this year.17 While meat consumption in Germany is slowly reducing it is still far above the worldwide average.18 Germany is the leading European exporter of pig products – second only to China. These increasing meat exports, supported by agricultural subsidies from the EU, has devastating effects on food production and food sovereignty in other countries.19
The trade fair in Hanover represents and supports the massive growth in the destructive global livestock industry. This must end!
The trade fair in Hanover represents and supports the massive growth in the destructive global livestock industry. This must end!
There can be no global Climate Justice without Justice for Animals.
Therefore, we demand the end of animal production and the transition to an ecological, vegan agriculture, based in solidarity.
Come to the demo! Support our call-out or write your own!
Animal Climate Action, 18.07.2016