Hackney residents Alistair Stewart (a 29-year-old former British Army officer) and Zee Byam (a mother and NHS mental health administrator) presented the deputation, which called on Hackney Council to move to fully plant-based catering at internal meetings and events in 2025 and to endorse the Plant Based Treaty immediately.
Zee Byam (left) and Alistair Stewart delivering the deputation speech
During their deputation speech, Stewart and Byam outlined the urgency of the climate crisis for Hackney residents, the environmental harm that animal agriculture causes, and the environmental, economic and health benefits of transitioning to fully plant-based catering. They also noted that 92% of the 400 Hackney Council staff who attended plant-based tasting events in late 2024 supported making council events plant-based by default – and they described the plant-based food at the tasting events as “impressive” and “delicious”.
In her response to the deputation, Cllr Young emphasised that Hackney Council has already cut food emissions at council events by nearly 70% through a phased transition towards plant-based menus, with various events including the most recent Annual General Meeting being entirely plant-based. She noted that the Council has committed to achieving fully plant-based catering across all council events by 2030, stressing the importance of what she described as a culturally inclusive approach that brings the community along. She also revealed that she has endorsed the Plant Based Treaty, later clarifying she endorsed it in her capacity as an individual councillor rather than on behalf of Hackney Council.
Stewart said:
Councillor Young tried to defend the Council’s 2030 deadline by emphasising the importance of “tak[ing] people in Hackney with us” – but our campaign’s key demand of fully plant-based catering for internal council meetings only affects councillors and council staff, not residents of Hackney. This obfuscation makes me worry that Hackney Council is nowhere near as clear-sighted or ambitious on climate change as it claims to be. The way to take the community with us must start with the council leading by example – and in 2025, not five years from now!
Byam said:
It’s probably the case that around a dozen residents of Hackney were killed by human-caused climate change during heatwaves in the last three months. Last night was our third deputation calling for plant-based catering at council meetings – and still the Council is only planning on doing this in 2030. How much further do we need to escalate to make this change happen?
Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, Green Party, who introduced the deputation, said:
This is a really urgent call. The council can make significant symbolic and practical steps that will help bring the public along on this journey. The climate action plan update shows we’re behind on our emissions reductions targets as a council, so signing the Plant Based Treaty as a council and going further and faster on the plant based transition is a simple measure to help Hackney catch up.
Lia Phillips of Plant Based Treaty struck a more positive note, saying:
We’re delighted that Councillor Sarah Young has personally endorsed the Plant Based Treaty, joining more than 850 politicians across the UK in calling for urgent action on climate, health, and sustainability. Her support reflects the growing momentum behind this global campaign, which has already been officially endorsed by 49 cities worldwide. We hope Hackney Council will soon follow their lead, adding its voice to the movement and taking steps to implement meaningful, positive change for both the local community and the wider environment.
A supporter of Plant-Based Hackney speaking to a passer-by before the council meeting
Plant-Based Councils, an Animal Rising campaign, is a national initiative of local residents who are pushing for their councils to adopt 100% plant-based catering and implement a Plant-Based Action Plan. The group argues that local authorities have a responsibility to follow the current scientific consensus, which acknowledges the environmental, health, and cost benefits of plant-based meals over those containing meat and dairy.
Endorsing the Plant Based Treaty means Hackney Council would be publicly supporting the urgent shift away from high-emission meat and dairy towards plant-based solutions. Endorsing the treaty is a call to national and global governments to negotiate an international agreement that tackles food emissions with the same seriousness as energy and transport. Locally, it would signal Hackney’s commitment to align food policy with climate science, improve access to healthy and affordable plant-based options, and lead by example in addressing the climate emergency.
