New Zealand Government Urges Everyone to Go Plant-Based 

The New Zealand Ministry of Health department urges the country’s health sector to implement initiatives to encourage citizens to move toward a plant-based diet in its new sustainability report released in late July. The report outlines measures necessary to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions—49 percent of which are attributed to agriculture—including making plant-based alternatives more readily available to New Zealanders. “Producing meat (particularly red meat) is resource intensive and has a larger carbon footprint than producing plant-based protein alternatives,” the report advises. “The health sector can work with staff dieticians to develop alternative patient menus and encourage plant-based diets.” In addition to urging a shift toward a plant-based diet, the report outlines the need to reduce single-use plastic and promotes the reduction of food waste.