Political priorities
Through democratic advocacy, political dialogue, fostering corporate relationships, and awareness raising, Project 1882 seeks to make a difference for the animals that are the most exploited and suffer the worst. We actively create solutions to problems faced by animals, and we always strive to reach the best possible outcomes. We want real change. Here are our ten political priorities for animals.
Ban cages
Project 1882 advocates for updating Swedish legislation to end the confinement of hens in cages. We propose a phase-out period of no longer than three years to facilitate the gradual elimination of cages from Swedish egg factories. This approach allows the industry to transition its production to free-range systems. Keeping animals in cages poses significant welfare concerns and undermines Sweden's reputation in the realm of animal protection.
Phase out fur farming
Project 1882 recommends establishing a definitive timeline for the phasing out of fur farming. Despite the Animal Welfare Act affirming animals' entitlement to natural behaviour, including a reinforcement of this right in the new Animal Welfare Act of 2019, hundreds of thousands of minks are still confined to wire cages within the Swedish fur farming industry.
Phase out fast-growing chickens
Chickens are the land-living animals that are the most exploited and suffer the worst. The rearing of fast-growing chickens not only violates the principles of the Animal Welfare Act, but also amounts to systematic animal abuse. Project 1882 wants Swedish chicken production to shift away from fast-growing chicken hybrids to slow-growing, healthier breeds. This transition can be realised through the implementation of a phase-out strategy for fast-growing chickens, aligning with the Animal Welfare Act's breeding guidelines, similar to the measures already taken with the ultra-muscular cattle breed, Belgian Blue.
Develop animal-free scientific research methods and create an action plan to phase out animal testing
Animal-free scientific research methods have the potential to be more effective and more reliable than animal experiments. Additionally, the new technology will create a path away from painful experiments where animals are subjected to pain and other forms of suffering. Animal-free research methods are often cheaper than animal experiments, but developing new methods requires economic investments. Project 1882 urges Sweden to allocate resources towards the development and implementation of animal-free research techniques, positioning the country as a frontrunner in the field of Life Science. In order to get away from outdated and painful animal experiments, an action plan to phase out animal testing is also needed.
Phase out painful stunning methods at slaughter
Project 1882 suggests establishing an imminent end date to stop the use of painful stunning methods during slaughter. More resources are also needed for researching alternatives to the painful carbon dioxide stunning methods being used for pigs and fish.
Prioritise animal protection and clarify where the responsibility lies
Project 1882 wants to see a minister of animal welfare in the Swedish government as well as an animal protection authority under the government. In a similar manner, at EU level, we want to clarify where responsibility lies by including the word “animal welfare" in the title of the responsible Commissioner. Today, animal welfare issues are seen as secondary concerns when the people responsible are supposed to promote production and profitability at the same time. Giving animals a stronger voice within politics would reflect that ethical consideration for animals is a fundamental value in society and ensure that already existing legislation is put into practice.
Promote the production and consumption of plant-based food
A transition towards a more plant-based food system is central to making progress towards global goals. Project 1882 wants Sweden to set targets for greatly increased production and processing of plant-based food. Targets must cover the entire food system and be linked to concrete implementation strategies. Subsidies in food production need to support the transition to more plant-based production, instead of, as now, almost exclusively favouring the rearing of animals and animal feed production.
Significantly reduce meat consumption by 2030
Project 1882 advocates for Sweden to embrace the objective of substantially reducing meat consumption by 2030, with politically governed organisations at the forefront of the transition. Shifting towards a greater proportion of plant-based food creates economic flexibility to enforce stricter animal welfare standards on purchased animal products. By implementing stricter animal welfare criteria during procurement processes, overall levels of animal welfare can be improved.
Decrease the scale of animal factories
Project 1882 wants to set a maximum of 100 animal units on the same farm to decrease the number of companies engaged in large-scale animal rearing. The proposal would reduce the risk of large-scale disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza and salmonella, where herds of thousands or even millions of individuals have to be killed. For example, 100 animal units can be translated into 100 cows, 1 000 mink or 10 000 hens.
Make the European Union’s new animal welfare legislation ambitious
Project 1882 wants the ongoing review of the European Union’s animal welfare legislation to yield ambitious and comprehensive laws that prioritise the welfare of animals. With a significant disparity between scientific research and existing legislation, the expectations are high that the review will bring substantial improvements. Project 1882 calls for an end to the export of live animals to countries outside the European Union, cages used in the food system in the EU to be phased out, and the introduction of a mandatory animal welfare labelling, among other measures.