World Animal Protection calls for urgent action on factory farming in response to UK’s COP29 emission pledge

“World Animal Protection welcomes this ambitious commitment to cut carbon emissions as part of the UK’s NDCs*. However, you cannot achieve this unless you address industrial animal agriculture – and not just in the UK. UK factory farming has risen 13% in just five years – that’s an additional 139 million animals as referenced in our recent report Confined in Cruelty,” said Tricia Croasdell, World Animal Protection’s CEO. 

Sign our petition to end cruel factory farming now

The cruelty of factory farming goes far beyond environmental harm – it devastates the lives of animals trapped within it. Factory farmed animals endure unimaginable suffering, from piglets having their tails cut off without pain relief to chickens crammed by the thousands into windowless sheds with no room to move, spread their wings or exhibit any natural behaviours. Factory farming is the biggest cause of animal cruelty worldwide, and this brutal system must be replaced with humane, fair farming that respects animal welfare. 

Chickens cramped into a windowless barn on a factory farm

Croasdell, who is attending COP, emphasised findings from World Animal Protection’s Your Taxes, Their Farms report. “Over the past five years, more than £116 million of UK taxpayer funds have supported factory farms abroad, particularly in the Global South, through development banks.”

Rather than supporting large-scale industrial operations, World Animal Protection is calling for this funding to be redirected to humane, sustainable farming practices. This includes regenerative farming, which restores soil health, boosts biodiversity, and focuses on sustainable practices to improve ecosystems.

Factory farming is also a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing heavily to climate change, deforestation and harming local eco systems. Animals on these farms are confined in small, barren cages, and pumped full of antibiotics to survive the filthy conditions they are subjected to. Treated as commodities in a profit-driven system, they suffer every single day of their short lives. 

A monther pig in a tight farrowing cage trying to reach out to her piglet

Instead of this extremely harmful and cruel model, the UK has the chance to lead on climate by supporting ethical, sustainable farming practices that prioritise animal welfare, reduce emissions, and protect public health. 

“The UK’s global leadership in this space is encouraging, but the plan of action needs to be very clear,” Croasdell said. “It needs to recognise animal welfare and environmental sustainability are inseparable. It must seek to phase out factory farming and shift toward an equitable, humane and sustainable food system that places animals, people, and their communities at its heart.”

Hens on a regenerative farm with access to a large, open-air run

The urgency is to act real – without change, factory farms will continue to expand, subjecting millions more animals to lives of relentless cruelty, pain and fear. Every day that passes allows these inhumane practices to persist.  

Sadly, as it stands now, time is running out to stop the rapid increase of UK factory farms, driven by both local interests and global meat producers like JBS. 

How you can help

• It’s the factory in factory farming that we take issue with. A global ban on factory farming in all its forms is urgently needed to protect farm animals from cruelty, and defend our climate, health and the environment.

• We’re campaigning to raise animal welfare standards to eliminate the worst practices in British farming and stop the expansion of intensive farming. 

• Join us and fight for a future where farmed animals are treated with dignity and respect. Where they can breathe outdoor air, taste fresh grass, move freely and socialise with others. Help to ensure every farmed animal has a good life.

Sign our petition to call for an end to factory farming now:

• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) lay out the efforts of each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Image credits: Hero image: World Animal Protection / Emi Kondo | Body image 1: World Animal Protection / Tracks Investigation | Body image 2: World Animal Protection / Emi Kondo | Body image 3: World Animal Protection / Rebecca Grove