An end for hamburgers and macaroni bolognese for students at Goldmiths University in London: beef will no longer be sold at this educational institution that intends to do so in the fight against climate change.

The ban on the sale of all beef products will come into effect at all university stores since the students’ return in September, the university’s management said in the south-east of the British capital, at a time when cattle farming is accused of high water consumption and deforestation.

Targeting its zero contribution to CO2 emissions by 2025, the university will also impose a payment of 10 pence (about 10 cents) for the purchase of non-reusable plastic bottles and cups.

“It is impossible to ignore the increasingly pressing global demand for organizations to take their responsibilities seriously to stop climate change,” explained Goldsmith’s new director, who took office this month.

“The staff and students (…) are determined to contribute to the radical change that needs to be made to drastically reduce our carbon footprint as quickly as possible.“

In a report released last week, a panel of UN climate experts IPCC / Giec stresses that changing eating habits and food production is one of the drivers of the fight against global warming, without suggesting the passage. on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has denounced a “too simplistic approach” on the part of Goldsmiths and urged private or public organizations, including universities, to support the British farm and livestock sector. “The main problem is the lack of (…) distinction between British beef and elk produced elsewhere,” union vice president Stuart Roberts added in a statement.

The British beef carbon footprint is “2.5 times lower than the world average,” he said.

Other UK universities have already taken steps to reduce meat consumption, notably Cambridge.