THE BELÉM DECLARATION ON PLANT-RICH DIETS

The Belém Declaration, signed by city and regional governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders, urges national governments to establish National Action Plans For Plant-Based Foods. The document argues that transitioning to plant-rich diets is a critical lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity, and improving public health. It specifically calls for these plans to be tabled for discussion at COP32 in 2027 and for the use of agrifood promotion budgets to fund their implementation.

• The declaration advocates for the creation of National Action Plans For Plant-Based Foods by all UN member states to encourage the production and consumption of plant-based foods, which include fresh produce, whole grains, legumes, nuts, edible fungi, tofu, tempeh, and nutrient-rich alternatives to animal products.
• Shifting to plant-rich diets is identified as a significant climate mitigation mechanism; specifically, in high-income countries, such a shift could result in a 61% reduction in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon equivalent to 14 years of global agricultural emissions through the re-naturalization of freed land.
• The document highlights that plant-rich diets support public health by lowering the risk of premature mortality and protecting against non-communicable diseases, while plant-based proteins like lentils, peas, and beans can meet the nutritional needs of most healthy adults.
• The declaration emphasizes the importance of preserving plant-rich dietary traditions in the Global South and small-island developing states to maintain food security, indigenous knowledge, and climate-resilient food systems.
• The signatories request that UN member states commit to a deadline for publishing National Action Plans For Plant-Based Foods so they can be discussed at COP32 in 2027, and that these plans be funded via agrifood promotion budgets.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (n.d.). THE BELÉM DECLARATION ON PLANT-RICH DIETS. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COP30-Declaration-as-of-2-July-2025.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. THE BELÉM DECLARATION ON PLANT-RICH DIETS. n.d. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COP30-Declaration-as-of-2-July-2025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=THE BELÉM DECLARATION ON PLANT-RICH DIETS |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COP30-Declaration-as-of-2-July-2025.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{changingmarketsfoundationndbelm, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{THE BELÉM DECLARATION ON PLANT-RICH DIETS}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/COP30-Declaration-as-of-2-July-2025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }