The Otago Campus Vegans (OCV) unveiled their plans for a ‘Vegan Treaty’ to a crowd of around 20 people last Tuesday at OUSA. Claire, Vegan Society of Aotearoa spokesperson, told attendees via Zoom that the treaty has 38 proposals to be taken to local councils. They range from declaring a climate emergency to stopping animal agriculture. Despite the ambitious aims, if signed, the treaty is technically non-binding and has no legal effect.
According to Claire, the treaty aims to create “bottom-up change to hold the people at the top accountable… [as] the government isn’t doing anything.” If the DCC were to sign it, it would make Dunedin the first Australasian city to do so.
In 2019, the Dunedin City Council declared a climate emergency and pledged to go Carbon Zero by 2030. However, it is not clear what tangible impacts, if any, that has had. Boris said the focus should be on having conversations with students. “Councilors got into power by maintaining the status quo,” he said. “We have to change the system through garnering widespread public support, not appealing to systems of power.” Duke, President of Dunedin/Ōtepoti Vegan Society, said he hopes to use the treaty to lobby the Uni to go plant-based.
Contrary to the name, Jowan said that OCV is “not explicitly about veganism.” It’s more broadly about the environmental goal of maintaining a “viable liveable planet.” Duke added, “[OCV] is not about punching veganism down students' throats.” Instead, the focus is on people and sharing kai and ideas, with plans in the works to form an “interclub coalition”, said Jowan.
They did, however, challenge Mayor Jules Radich to go vegan in March, which he apparently said would be “too hard”. President of OCV Jowan joked that they might make a “deluxe 5-course vegan banquet for Jules Radich… to show just how easy it is.” But, jokes aside, third-year Boris said it’s actually pretty easy to be vegan when you consider the fact that tofu is cheaper than most meats (plus OUSA $4 lunches are vegan).