11 Jun 2026
Delegates from around the world gathered for the event in France where vets were told they have a “critical” part to play in the fight against the global climate crisis.
Ruth Smith
Job Title
Delegates from many countries attended the fifth Veterinary Green Discussion Forum in southern France.
Regenerative farming, re-wilding and antimicrobial stewardship topped the agenda at the fifth Veterinary Green Discussion Forum (VGDF5).
Held on a sustainable farm in the Camargue region of southern France from 2 to 4 June, the annual conference is dedicated to driving environmental sustainability within the veterinary sector.
Founded by The Webinar Vet, this year’s VGDF saw delegates from the UK, Ireland, France, USA, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Chile in attendance to discuss practical solutions to the climate crisis and the role veterinary professionals must play as “critical guardians” of global ecosystems.
Day one opened with a talk by regenerative farmer John Gilliland, who serves as a consultant for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and is chair of the ARC Zero project.
Prof Gilliland discussed how the AHDB Soil Sampling Pilot had cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 53% on 178 UK farms by using regenerative methods, with several already achieving net-zero status.
Regenerative farming practices from across Europe were also discussed, including Climate Farmers, the continent’s largest regenerative farming network with more than 700 farms across 21 countries now involved.
A video presentation focused on projects to restore peatland in Germany and Denmark was also well-received by delegates who heard how peatland has been proven to store four times more carbon than forests and can prevent flooding, fight droughts and restore biodiversity.
President of Vétérinaires pour La Biodiversité Alain Moussu went on to highlight how vets are “protectors of life”, a point underlined by World Veterinary Environmental Alliance’s founder Jeannet Kessels and patron Peter Doherty who spoke about the part vets have to play in solving One Health problems.
UK-based vet Sean McCormack also addressed delegates to explain how various Ealing Wildlife Group initiatives are helping to restore habitats and ecosystems in London.
The second day had greater focus on the role of vaccines and antimicrobial stewardship with delegates encouraged to look at what lessons could be learned from the work that is being done to improve antimicrobial stewardship in the farming sector.
Speaking after the event, VGDF founder Anthony Chadwick said: “The event was a huge success, and I would like to thank everyone for their contribution.
“Le Sauvage regenerative farm in The Camargue was an ideal place to hold VGDF5 and by immersing ourselves in nature, we were able to slow down and begin to discover solutions to the bigger problems in the world.
“The level of discussion and connections being made was amazing and I am excited to see what actions come out of the forum in the coming months.
“I certainly left feeling hopeful for the future.”