The city council of Caltanissetta, in Sicily, has voted to formally support the Plant Based Treaty, becoming the first local authority in Italy to do so. The motion passed on May 28, 2026, with 13 votes in favor and one against.
The council has mandated the mayor to sign the treaty on behalf of the city, joining roughly 68 municipalities worldwide, including Amsterdam, Edinburgh, and Los Angeles. It will also write to Italy’s Minister of Agriculture and Minister of the Environment, urging national government support.
Local climate pressure as a driver
Practical commitments include incorporating food consumption emissions into the city’s climate action plan, ensuring plant-based options at municipal events and in catering, and progressively introducing plant-forward menus in municipal school canteens.
The motion’s preamble cites central Sicily’s specific vulnerability to drought, extreme heat, and declining agricultural yields as part of the rationale, and frames a shift toward plant-based food systems as an economic opportunity for local farmers.
A gradual, flexible approach
Councillor Alessandro Armando Turturici, who introduced the motion, said: “Expanding plant-based options in public institutions like schools or at municipal events can help reduce food costs and waste over time, while offering healthier alternatives to citizens. This can be implemented gradually and flexibly, without imposing restrictions on anyone.”
The Plant Based Treaty, launched in 2021 and modelled on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, calls on governments to halt the expansion of animal agriculture, redirect policy toward plant-based food systems, and restore degraded ecosystems. City-level endorsements are non-binding but commit local authorities to pursuing plant-based food policies within their jurisdiction and advocating for a global agreement.
