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Discussion around Worldwatch report

The recent Worldwatch Institute report caused an interesting discussion about the different calculations of the extent of the emissions of greenhouse gases by the livestock farming industry. Henk Westhoek of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) says the WWI wrongfully includes the CO2 emissions through exhalation. Moreover, the effects of methane are spread out over a period of 20 years, whereas many other scientists use a period of 100 years.

We cannot and wish not to take a position in this debate at this moment, as yet we are holding on to the 18% the FAO calculated. We are however pleased that this report boosts the discussion. Whether one would use the 18% of the FAO or the 51% of the Worldwatch Institute, in both cases the livestock farming industry is the largest contributor to climate change caused by the emission of greenhouse gases.

WWI report: livestock responsible for 51% of greenhouse gases

Meat the Truth was based on the 2006 FAO report, which calculated that livestock farming is responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions world wide. This fact could already be called revolutionary, but in a recent Worldwatch Institute report Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang provide a critical addition to the FAO figures and claim that no less than 51% of the greenhouse gases must be attributed to livestock farming. The authors, both linked to the World Bank Group, point to livestock related greenhouse gas emissions that were not counted before. These figures would make the message of Meat the Truth even more urgent. Click here to read the report.

Meat the Truth huge success in Turin

Last Saturday Meat the Truth was met with great enthusiasm at the CinemAmbiente Environmental Film Festival in Turin, Italy. The film, presented by Marianne Thieme, which demonstates that livestock farming is one of the most important causes of climate change, was officially selected for the twelfth edition of the annual festival.

Marianne Thieme and producer Monique van Dijk had been invited to participate in a debate with the audience after the screening in Cinema Massimo’s large auditorium.

On Sunday evening Meat the Truth was screened in the municipality of Cirié, where the Chairman of Environment attended to introduce the film. The auditorium was completely sold out.

A third screening is planned on the 21st of October during the CinemAmbiente Environmental Film Festival.

Meat the Truth in American news

The American news website The Huffington Post recently posted an article by Mikko Alanne in which he expresses his appreciation of Meat the Truth. The author points out how everybody could make a contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by simply avoiding meat for at least one day a week. Click here to read the article.

Honorable Mention for Meat the Truth in Brazil

Meat the Truth, the climate film presented by Marianne Thieme of the Dutch Party for the Animals, received an Honorable Mention Award in Brazil. The highly acclaimed documentary, which demonstrates livestock farming being one of the biggest causes of global warming, was screened at the 1st International Film Festival for Animal Rights, which took place on August 29th and 30th in Curitiba, Brazil. Meat the Truth was one of the three films to receive an award at the festival.

Meat the Truth received an earlier Honorable Mention Award on November 15th, 2008 from the  Film Council of Greater Columbus, during the Columbus International Film and Video Festival in the United States.

The documentary has been screened allover the world, in countries such as Taiwan, Australia, New-Zealand, Ecuador, Canada, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Singapore, Portugal and the UK, and was translated in 6 different languages: Chinese, Croatian, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovenian and Italian. At this moment, Turkish, German and French translations are being produced. The Dutch, English and Portuguese under titled versions are currently placed online for free, to introduce the film to a broad audience: http://www.meatthetruth.nl (Dutch and English version) en http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk7LPUHes8U (Portuguese version).

Meat the Truth is a production by the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation (NGPF), the scientific bureau for the Dutch Party for the Animals.

Meat the Truth on Spanish TV

From 5th -7th June 2009, Meat the Truth was featured at the Emisión Cero Film Festival in Madrid, Spain. On Sunday 7th June, the screening was followed by a debate in which Karen Soeters, director of the NGPF, participated.  Meat the Truth drew the attention of the Spanish  TV company TVE, which aired an item about the film, including  an interview with Karen Soeters. Click ‘read more’ to watch the broadcast.

Premiere Meat the Truth New York great success

On Sunday May 17th the premiere of Meat the Truth in New York attracted a great deal of interest. A total of over 400 people attended the two screenings at the New York Film Academy. Because there were so many people that wanted to see the film, an extra screening had to be added.

Prior to the premiere the annual Veggie Pride Parade took place. Thousands of vegetarians and vegans formed a colourful procession through the streets of the Meatpacking District. Marianne Thieme, Niko Koffeman and Karen Soeters led the way for Meat the Truth with a banner and many volunteers handed out flyers that asked attention for a more vegetarian and animal-friendly way of life. The parade finished at Union Square, where people massed together to hear Marianne Thieme speak. The fact that The Netherlands is the first country to have a political party devoted to animal welfare elected to a national parliament, was met by the crowd with a prolonged applause. In her speech Thieme stressed the huge impact livestock farming has on the environment and climate change.

After the Veggie Pride Parade Karen Soeters, director of the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation, presented the New York premiere of Meat the Truth for an audience of over 400 people. To give everybody a chance to watch the documentary an extra screening was added. The audience reacted to the film with great enthusiasm. For this premiere scientists at the Institute for Environmental Studies of the Free University Amsterdam have calculated the carbon savings that could be achieved in the U.S. as a result of the reduction in meat consumption. After the premiere the visitors seized the chance to discuss these carbon savings tables with Marianne Thieme. The tables show for example that if all Americans would stop eating meat for 1 day a week, this would result in the same carbon savings as taking 19.2 million cars off the road, or 99.6 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Screening Meat the Truth as side event during United Nations conference in New York

On Wednesday May 13th at 4 pm the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation will present Meat the Truth as a side event during the 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development in New York, a United Nations conference on sustainable agriculture that will be attended by Marianne Thieme, Dutch MP for the Party for the Animals. This screening is also a preview for the big New York premiere of Meat the Truth on Sunday May 17th.