Agonising about vegan encounters: Exploring the role of vegan activism in the pursuit of (net)zero carbon

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This project explores the political role that vegan activism plays, and could play, in the pursuit of (net) zerocarbon. Today, vegan activists are a frequent sight on UK high streets, often displaying imagery of animalcruelty and treatment within food production networks to encourage the adoption of a vegan diet. There areevident benefits of a plant-based diet in the pursuit of (net) zero carbon. For example a meat-based dietproduces 7.2 kg CO2e per day, whilst a vegan diet around 2.9 kg (Scarborough et al., 2014). However, activisttactics have proved polarising, producing a certain affective politics from the often-graphic imagery theyintroduce into the public sphere. Focusing on this urban 'micro-climate of political activity' (Pikner, 2016, p.80), and novelly bringing together academic literature on the geography of encounter and post-foundationalpolitical geography (PFPG), this research evaluates the political potential of vegan activist tactics. It does so to2consider how these often-confronting tactics are staged, encountered, and received in order to make practicalsuggestions for improvement in pursuit of ecologically sounder futures.