COP29 protesters have urged countries to adopt a Plant-Based Treaty, backed by 33 cities, to enhance the Paris Agreement.

The proposed treaty has garnered backing from 33 major cities, among them Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and Edinburgh.

Protesters chanted, including slogans such as “Diet change, not climate change! Menu change, not climate change!” and “What do we want? A Plant-Based Treaty! When do we want it? Now!”

Earlier this week, supporters of the Plant-Based Treaty hosted a press conference to emphasize the urgent need for global collaboration in scaling up plant-based solutions to combat climate change.

The scientific advisor for the Plant-Based Treaty, Kimmy Cushman, addressed the crowd, stating that it’s time to adopt plant-based diets for the sake of the planet. She pointed out that shifting away from Western diets to plant-based food systems could reduce food-related emissions by up to 75%.

"We are in a climate crisis and we are in a biodiversity crisis. Animal agriculture is the number one force destroying the planet. If we transition to a global plant-based food system, we could reforest and rewild 75% of agricultural land."

Kimmy stated that the world needs a just transition now. "33 cities, 200k individuals and 3,500 groups and businesses have called on nations to negotiate a global Plant-Based Treaty so we can say yes to lower emissions, yes to rewilding and yes to improved health, yes to feeding humans instead of farmed animals.”

Campaigners Enric Noguera and Cindy Veltens introduced the Plant-Based Treaty in Action, an update to their 2023 Safe and Just Report launched at COP28. This new report highlights cities around the world that are actively implementing the treaty’s 40 proposed actions to promote plant-based solutions for climate change.

They shared case studies from Edinburgh and Amsterdam, two cities taking steps toward implementing the Plant-Based Treaty. Edinburgh endorsed the treaty in 2023 and is now introducing carbon labeling in schools and universities.

Meanwhile, Amsterdam, which endorsed the treaty in 2024, plans to enter agreements with major employers and public institutions—such as hospitals, community centers, and care facilities—to implement Vegan Fridays. The city also aims to achieve a 60/40 plant-based-to-animal protein ratio by 2030.

The Plant-Based Treaty European City Campaigner, Enric Noguera, who joined the protest, stressed the importance of a global treaty. He emphasized that negotiating a Plant-Based Treaty as part of the Paris Agreement is crucial to addressing the one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by food systems.

"Cities like Edinburgh and Amsterdam are already implementing a number of Plant-Based Treaty’s 40 suggested proposals, and showing the rest of the world how it’s done. A treaty can help scale up and secure resources to support a just plant-based transition."

The Plant-Based Treaty draws inspiration from agreements that tackled global threats, such as those addressing ozone layer depletion and nuclear weapons. It calls for a global pact to align the food system with the goals of the Paris Agreement and to implement best practices in plant-based food policies at the city and institutional levels.