
Food systems are responsible for around a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meat and dairy are the dominant drivers, taking up 83% of global farmland while providing just 18% of our calories (Poore & Nemecek, 2018). An open letter signed by over 650 academics and 200 environmental experts recently confirmed the urgent need to shift away from animal agriculture. Every meal served at the JKU Mensa, the Teichwerk, and Ch@t is a choice between continuing down a path of climate destruction or transforming our food system to a fairer, plant-based model.
The Austrian Mensas (ÖMBG) recently announced its "Mensa 2030" concept, promising to "take responsibility and actively shape change". We can hold them to these promises. Universities serve millions of meals and have immense power to drive systemic change. Plant-based dishes are fundamentally cheaper to produce and carry a fraction of the ecological footprint, making them the most logical solution to provide affordable, sustainable student meals. By transitioning to a 100% plant-based menu, JKU Linz can make sustainable dining the inclusive default, lifting the burden of climate action off the shoulders of individual students.
Yes, it is! The University of Graz is already 100% plant-based. Across Europe and the UK, student unions at universities like Stirling, Cambridge, and UCL have voted for a fully plant-based catering as well. And JKU Linz can join them and become a pioneer for climate-friendly dining in Upper Austria!
Change begins with bold decisions, and the time for climate leadership is now!
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