Intensive livestock farming harms people, animals and the planet
News
We’re calling on all Public Development Banks to stop investing in polluting and destructive industrial livestock production.
Ahead of the 2021 Finance in Common Summit, we are writing to all Public Development Banks to urge them to stop bankrolling unsustainable agriculture.
The scale of its damage is far reaching:
- Food security: Worldwide, 77% of agricultural land is used to grow and feed livestock, yet it provides just 17% of calories
- Climate change: In 2050, the livestock sector will account for 80% of the world’s allowable greenhouse gas emissions
- Biodiversity: Livestock production is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss, with animal feed crops taking up 40% of the world’s arable land
- Zoonotic diseases: Industrial livestock operations are major drivers of zoonotic disease emergence such as swine flu, bird flu and Ebola
- Antimicrobial resistance: 75% of the world’s antibiotics are used on farm animals, contributing to antibiotic resistance in human medicine
- Smallholder livelihoods: Industrial scale agriculture creates unfair market competition and robs small producers of access to valuable land, water and forest resources
- Animal welfare: Most animals in industrial livestock farming are kept in small or overcrowded cages, unable to exhibit their natural behaviours
We’re asking all Public Development Banks to:
- Halt all financing for industrial livestock production
- Develop a policy that excludes financing for industrial livestock companies from their lending portfolios
Who’s signed?
Our letter has been signed by:
- Advocating Wild
- Andhra Pradesh Goshala Federation
- AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection
- AnimalConcepts
- Animal & Biodiversity Programme at the Global Research Network Think Tank
- Animal Friends Jogja
- Animal Protection Denmark
- Animals Australia
- ARCA Brasil
- Aquatic Life Institute
- Ban Animal Trading
- Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED)
- Bank Information Centre
- Bioregional
- Brighter Green
- CAS International
- Catholic Concern for Animals
- CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network)
- Collective Fashion Justice
- Compassion in World Farming
- Dierencoalitie
- Djurens Rätt
- Djurskyddet Sverige
- Ecoaction
- Elephanatics
- Eurogroup for Animals
- Factory Farming Awareness Coalition
- Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations
- FOUR PAWS International
- Franciscan Order - Hong Kong
- Fraternité pour le respect animal
- Friends of the Earth USA
- Friends of the Orangutans Malaysia
- Future 4 Wildlife
- Global Forest Coalition
- Green Advocates International
- Green Liberty
- GREY2K USA Worldwide
- Health Care Without Harm
- Help Animals India
- Institute of Animal Law of Asia
- Instituto Maíra
- International Accountability Project
- Japan Anti-Vivisection Association
- Jamaa Resource Initiatives
- Kurdistan Organization for Animal Rights Protection
- Lady Freethinker
- Landmark Foundation
- Let's Adopt Indonesia
- Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection
- Mighty Earth
- National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Neotropical Primate Conservation
- Orangutan Aid
- PETA Asia 亚洲善待动物组织
- Put an End to Animal Cruelty and Exploitation
- Sanctuary for Health & Reconnection to Animals & Nature
- Sea First Foundation
- Sinergia Animal
- Society for Animal Welfare and Management
- Society for Travelers Respecting Animal Welfare
- Stichting Dier&Recht
- Svenska Djurskyddsföreningen (The Swedish Association for the Protection of Animals)
- SWISSAID
- Varkens in Nood
- Wakker Dier
- Wild Welfare
- World Animal Protection
Image credits: Hero: World Animal Protection/Emi Kondo; News Page: Jakob Cotton / Unsplash
Most animals in industrial livestock farming are kept in small or overcrowded cages, unable to exhibit their natural behaviours