# Royal College of Art Canonical URL: [Royal College of Art](https://plantbaseduniversities.org/rca) Campaign last updated: 2026-11-03T12:41:12.217Z City: London ## Help the Royal College of Art achieve Net Zero\! The Royal College of Art wants to achieve Net Zero by 2035. Switching to plant-based catering is a necessary step in making this goal a reality. Signatures displayed: 2. Current signature goal: 1,000. Counts can change. ## What is the problem? ### 57% of food emissions come from animal products Food systems are responsible for around a third of all global greenhouse gas emissions, and animal products are the dominant driver. Meat and dairy alone generate more emissions than all the world's planes, ships, and cars combined. Every meal RCA serves is a choice between perpetuating this crisis or being part of the solution. ## What can we do? ### Plant-based catering across six RCA outlets Every plate is a decision the Royal College of Art makes and can change. RCA has already acknowledged the need to promote plant-based options in their Sustainable Food Principles, but currently only aims for "at least one plant-based option" at just one outlet. Going 100% plant-based is one of the most visible, controllable ways to actually deliver on their sustainability promise. ## Is that even possible? University of Graz went fully plant-based. Edinburgh hit 70% — and the Royal College of Art can be next\! ## Petition To the Royal College of Art and RCA Students' Union We're asking for the University and the Students' Union to move to 100% plant-based catering #### Why it matters: ###### Climate. Food is around a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and animal products are most of it. RCA launched its first Environmental Sustainability Strategy in 2024 with a target of Net Zero by 2035, and with a pledge to embed sustainability into day-to-day College activities. Sustainable plant-based catering is a significant and necessary step in achieving these targets and becoming a sustainable university, and it's one students can help deliver. ###### Cost. Independent modelling built specifically for university catering finds plant-based meals cost around 30% less and emit around 84% less than meat-based ones, and that a university of our size could save over £500,000 a year. ###### It already works elsewhere. The University of Graz now runs the first fully plant-based university canteen in Europe. The University of Vienna has committed to move its catering to 100% vegan and vegetarian as contracts come up for renewal, with a staff and student working group setting the criteria at the retender. At Ghent University, a joint project between students and the university's Green Office has brought 28 departments and services into plant-based catering commitments in a single year. We understand the honest question that comes back to us, which is whether students really want this. This petition exists to answer it. Every name here is a student or a member of staff at the Royal College of Art saying yes. #### We're asking the Royal College of Art and RCA Students' Union to work toward 100% plant-based catering in University outlets and at events, starting with 60% plant-based catering by 2027/28, increasing by 10% each year until the transition is complete. We're not asking anyone to change what they eat at home. We're asking that the more sustainable option becomes the easy, obvious, affordable one on campus. By signing, I'm adding my name to the students and staff at RCA who want this to happen. ## Get involved and follow updates [Visit the campaign page](https://plantbaseduniversities.org/rca) to join the team or sign the petition, and read the latest campaign timeline. Contact: jessiehur0311@gmail.com [Campaign Instagram](https://instagram.com/pbu_rca)