Copenhagen and Roskilde Students Launch Campaign for 100% Plant-Based Catering

Photo: Students at Copenhagen and Roskilde University at Plant-Based Campus Launch training.

On 23 March, students at the University of Copenhagen (KU) and Roskilde University (RUC) officially launched Plant-Based Campus (PBC) campaigns. The initiative calls on the university administration, its catering providers, and affiliated organisations to transition to a 100% plant-based food system to address the climate and environmental crises.

The KU and RUC campaigns are the first PBC campaigns in Denmark, and bring the total number of PBC campaigns to 14, following the launch of the Plant-Based Campus Malmö the previous day.

Denmark is the world’s sixth largest exporter of pig meat, and pig farming has been a central political issue leading up to the Danish general election on 24 March. The new PBC campaigns aim to be part of a growing national movement in support of a shift towards a plant-based food system.

A study from the University of Copenhagen shows that if Denmark adopted the mostly plant-based Planetary Health Diet (PHD), it would reduce food-related emissions by 58.2% to 86.5%. Another recent study reviewing food practices at Danish universities  showed that plant-based menus can meet sustainable Planetary Boundary lunch thresholds but that animal-based meals exceeded these safe limits in every scenario, even with perfect planning.

Marco Calabro, Coordinator at Plant-Based University Roskilde, says:

“There is room for universities to improve environmental practices and awareness. We know that with a little push, change is possible, and that universities' own research can align with real progress. Adopting 100% plant-based catering will be a game changer”

The new PBC campaigns have now planned their next steps, and are expected to focus on community building and discussions within university decision-makers to understand where best to focus their efforts.

—

Prag AA, Henriksen CB. Transition from Animal-Based to Plant-Based Food Production to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture—The Case of Denmark. Sustainability. 2020; 12(19):8228. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198228

Zhou, X., Budhathoki, M., Pandey, S., & Thomsen, M. (2026). Eating within planetary limits - Life cycle assessment of food waste prevention and dietary shifts in Danish universities. Cleaner Food Systems, 3, Article 100018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clfs.2026.100018

—

Plant-Based Campus is a democratic student-led campaign working with universities and higher education institutions to transition to 100% plant-based catering to address the climate and environmental crises. Plant-Based Campus is currently active at 14 universities across the Nordics.