Rishi Sunak has reportedly hired a vegan named Meera Vadher as head of environmental policy.
The British Prime Minister, who took office in October 2022, is said to have made the decision in order to improve his environmental record.
The Guardian reports that Vadher stated on her social media that she is a vegan with a “strong desire to cut through jargon and simplify politics and current affairs”. It appears, however, that Vadher has since updated her biography to remove details about her veganism.
Vadher, a former special adviser, is reportedly set to take on the role next year. She began her political career in 2011 as a parliamentary assistant to Edward Garnier, who was then a Conservative MP. Vadher subsequently worked in regional politics before working on the NHS Test and Trace system during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Downing Street 10 has not commented on the report. And the Guardian stated that Vadher has not yet signed a contract.
Rishi Sunak’s COP27 controversy
The appointment comes shortly after Sunak faced criticism for his decision to attend the UN climate summit COP27. The annual conference took place in Egypt in early November 2022.
The Prime Minister had initially stated that he would not attend, despite the summit bringing together world leaders to discuss action plans for addressing the climate crisis.
Following strong public backlash, Sunak announced that he had changed his mind.
A vegan future?
While it remains unclear what Vadher’s appointment means for the future of British environmental policy, it is likely to be welcomed by many environmentalists.
Animal farming is responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is also one of the leading causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Nevertheless, world leaders and the public tend to keep it out of the climate discussion. COP27 once again sparked controversy because beef was on the menu, and livestock farming was barely mentioned.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Sunak himself told Sky News that he “doesn’t tell people to eat less meat.” He made these remarks while standing in a meat market. He was responding to a statement by the government’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, that eating less meat was “part of the solution” to tackling the climate emergency.
| You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose compassion on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan. |
