Birthday Encourages You to Eat like There’s No Tomorrow for Climate Week NYC

22-29 September 2024 is Climate Week NYC, the largest annual climate gathering of its kind, bringing together over 600 events and activities across the City of New York – in person, hybrid and online. Each year, business leaders, political change makers, decision takers and civil society representatives of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the world, gather to drive the transition, speed up progress, and champion change that is already happening. The event takes place in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly and is run in coordination with the United Nations and the City of New York.

Among the many areas that are discussed within the week long event, animal agriculture is a subject that gets less attention than it deserves - factory farming is bad for the environment and climate change — responsible for between 11 and 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and is a constant drain on our planet’s water and land reserves. Animal products are a regular part of billions of people’s diets, globally. But it comes at a cost. Individuals can make a difference by focusing on the food that they eat.

Mercy For Animals is an international nonprofit organisation working to end industrial animal agriculture by constructing a just and sustainable food system. Operating in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Malaysia and the United States, Mercy For Animals uses legal and policy advocacy, corporate campaigns, and public engagement to bring about meaningful change for animals. As part of its mission to construct a just and sustainable food system, Mercy For Animals advocates for climate policies that holistically consider all parts of the food systems, from production through consumption. Through their Global Policy Program, Mercy For Animals is accredited under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and co-chairs the Food & Climate Action Group, an international coalition of more than 25 nonprofit organisations.

Working with the creative collective Birthday, Mercy For Animals will draw attention to an absurd situation- while it's proven that raising animals for food causes about 20% of all GhG emissions, the subject doesn't receive nearly as much attention in climate discussions at the Climate Week NYC. The reason for this is simple. Representatives of the meat and dairy industry present on panels at Climate Week talk about false solutions that help maintain the status quo to keep producing vast quantities of animal products. 

Mercy For Animals is taking on the Big Meat and Dairy industry at its own game by creating their own meat lobby, with a twist: to lobby against meat. They figure maybe this way, policy makers will hear their message. 

During Climate Week, “The International Meat Alliance Against Meat” will take to NY streets and engage everyday New Yorkers on questions and topics that the meat industry keeps off the plate and out of mind of most people. A clever, engaging effort, designed to confront critical issues that typically go unnoticed.

This effort will be supported by a comprehensive digital and social media campaign, along with out-of-home (OOH) elements from the 'Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow' campaign. The campaign will be visible in Times Square and throughout the city, featured on billboards, and as stickers in restaurant windows and on napkins. 

“At Climate Week NYC, the link between factory farming and climate change is no secret, yet ideas often focus on false solutions that maintain the status quo rather than addressing the real issue: a need to reduce meat and dairy production and shift toward plant-based diets. With our ‘International Meat Alliance Against Meat,’ Mercy For Animals is challenging these approaches, urging policymakers to tackle the root problem—our over-reliance on animal agriculture” said Shweta Sood, global VP of marketing and communications, Mercy for Animals. Shweta added, “Through our ‘Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow’ campaign, we’re taking this message directly to the climate delegates, asking them to advocate for a meaningful shift toward sustainable, plant-based diets. It’s time for a true transformation of our food system to secure the future of our planet.” 

“Sometimes absurd situations, like meat lobbies defining the future of our planet, need to be met with absurd ideas. In this case an animal rights organisation like Mercy For Animals created their own meat lobby with a twist: to lobby against meat, to be heard. And for Michael Gagne, animals rights activist turned Meat lobbyist, to hit the street of NY during climate week to seek out delegates and policy makers to talk about topics that the meat industry keeps off the plate and out of mind of most people.” said Corinna Falusi, founder, Birthday. 

The "Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow" campaign launches today, featuring an extensive out-of-home (OOH) presence. This includes 75 LinkNYC digital ads and 10 wild postings around the UN building and Times Square during the week of September 22nd to 29th.The International Meat Alliance Against Meat’s lobbyist will be seen throughout the streets of New York. This message will be supported by two sites, eatliketheresnotomorrow.com and theinternationalmeatallianceagainstmeat.com where you can find the mission and ask, and stay updated with all that is happening on this campaign during Climate Week.