Dr Jo Swabe
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe
@joswabe.bsky.social
2.3K followers 1K following 1K posts
Senior Director of Public Affairs for Humane World for Animals Europe (formerly Humane Society International). Advocate for animals. EU policy wonk. Erstwhile sociologist. Bird nerd & nature lover. Vegan foodie. Posting in EN & NL. Usual disclaimers apply.
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joswabe.bsky.social
Dr Jo Swabe @joswabe.bsky.social · Nov 21
👋 Time for another quick introduction.

I’m HSI/Europe’s senior director of public affairs & will be primarily engaging here on animal agriculture, food policy, fur, wildlife protection, biodiversity & EU policy/political stuff. And posting the occasional bird pic!
Chickens
joswabe.bsky.social
At 15:00 CET, MEPs will debate fur farming and the placing of farmed fur products on the market.

The list of speakers is now also available. Some fill me with joy, others less so...

Follow live: www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/h...
Home | Plenary | European Parliament
Main page of the European Parliament’s plenary website. Live streaming, updated speaker list, plenary news, priority information and priority documents.
www.europarl.europa.eu
November 27, 2025 at 1:27 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
Excellent presentations today at Intergroup from Rune-Christoffer & @olgakikou.bsky.social. The Danes are truly leading the way in facilitating the transition to more plant-based diets.

Recording & presentations will be uploaded here soon:
www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/calendar/pro...
November 27, 2025 at 10:22 AM
joswabe.bsky.social
EP Animal Welfare Intergroup meeting on Protein diversification: enabling food environments for sustainable and animal welfare friendly diets is starting now.

Follow live here:
ep.interactio.eu/nglw-262-vcp...
Interactio Panel
ep.interactio.eu
November 27, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
yavorgechev.bsky.social
The real price Europeans pay for fur farming.
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social Humane World for Animals Europe @humaneworldeurope.bsky.social · 1d
#Furfarming in the #EU isn’t just cruel — it’s costly. A new study finds it runs at a €446 million annual loss once you factor in environmental damage and public health risks.
👉 Read more in this opinion piece by @joswabe.bsky.social on @eualive.bsky.social
eualive.net/fur-farming-...
Fur farming: A fading industry with a heavy price tag
The good news is that the number of fur farms across the EU has plummeted ...
eualive.net
November 25, 2025 at 5:28 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
Nice bit of trolling of right-wing MEPs here. Featuring a veggie burger in an event poster focusing on plant-based diets is bound to get their goat.
November 26, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
eurogroupforanimals.org
🗓️ #SaveTheDate: tomorrow at the Animal Welfare Intergroup, decision-makers will be exploring strategies for promoting sustainable and animal-friendly diets through protein diversification, with a focus on plant-based options. 🌱

Find out more ⤵️
www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/calendar/pro...
Protein diversification: enabling food environments for sustainable and animal welfare friendly diets | Intergroup
This event aims to explore strategies for promoting sustainable and animal-friendly diets through protein diversification, with a focus on plant-based options. Participants will gain insights from…
www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu
November 26, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
eeb.org
📢 Fresh investigation reveals €1.5 BILLION in EU funds backing meat & dairy ads with false “sustainable” claims.

Taxpayer money shouldn’t bankroll greenwashing and lies🤥

Time for a full review. Investigation ⬇️ @euobserver.com @desmog.com

#EU #Greenwashing #Accountability #Disinformation
November 26, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
emmacalvert.bsky.social
Excellent read: how EU taxpayers’ money is going to marketing funds promoting intensive meat and dairy production (often with bogus claims)

The 2020 #FarmToFork strategy committed to making the EU promotion policy more sustainable but naturally, it was another victim of the agri industry lobbying….
November 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
A much needed expose from @desmog.com on how EU funds are not only still being used to promote factory farmed animal products, but also how promotional programmes are making misleading environmental claims about their sustainability of meat & dairy products.
euobserver.com/green-econom...
Revealed: EU’s €1.5bn promo scheme backing ‘sustainable’ meat and dairy
The €1.5bn "Enjoy, it's from Europe" scheme — largely funded by the Common Agricultural Policy — emphasises the “authenticity, safety, sustainability and quality” of EU-farmed food and drinks. A new i...
euobserver.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
eualive.bsky.social
Fur farming A fading industry with a heavy price tag eualive.net/fur-farming-... An opinion by Dr. Johanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs, Humane World for Animals
Fur farming: A fading industry with a heavy price tag
The good news is that the number of fur farms across the EU has plummeted ...
eualive.net
November 25, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social
#Furfarming in the #EU isn’t just cruel — it’s costly. A new study finds it runs at a €446 million annual loss once you factor in environmental damage and public health risks.
👉 Read more in this opinion piece by @joswabe.bsky.social on @eualive.bsky.social
eualive.net/fur-farming-...
Fur farming: A fading industry with a heavy price tag
The good news is that the number of fur farms across the EU has plummeted ...
eualive.net
November 25, 2025 at 4:36 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
A new OpEd on fur farming in @eualive.bsky.social from yours truly.

@europarl.europa.eu will be debating the issue this Thursday at the end of the Plenary session, following an oral question tabled by @krzysztofsmiszek.bsky.social & 40 other MEPs

eualive.net/fur-farming-...
Fur farming: A fading industry with a heavy price tag
The good news is that the number of fur farms across the EU has plummeted ...
eualive.net
November 25, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
alicediconcetto.bsky.social
Interesting read on the limitations of the legal recognition of animal sentience -- although we shouldn't infer too much from a ruling that was limited to assessing the amount of compensation for damage to baggage!
animallaweurope.bsky.social The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy @animallaweurope.bsky.social · 3d
✈️ Hugo Menotti has published an analysis of the @eucourtofjustice.bsky.social ruling that animals count as baggage.

🇪🇸 The Spanish court said their loss isn’t like losing a suitcase.

🇪🇺 The CJEU disagreed, meaning sentience doesn’t ensure human-level protection.

🔗 More here → tinyurl.com/5brre52c
November 24, 2025 at 2:06 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
Interesting that @ec.europa.eu’s Christian Juliusson quotes Commissioner Várhelyi as saying that “he does not want to experiment on farmers”, yet he is seriously considering proposing welfare standards for fur animals that have not been scientifically tested or underpinned.
November 18, 2025 at 9:07 AM
joswabe.bsky.social
Spending today at the @animallaweurope.bsky.social’s conference on Animal Protection & EU Law.

They’ve put together a very interesting programme.

animallaweurope.org/animal-prote...
Cover conference programme 1st panel of conference including EC & EFSA
November 18, 2025 at 8:51 AM
joswabe.bsky.social
Last week @humaneworldeurope.bsky.social & our NGO partners wrote to @jessikaroswall.ec.europa.eu to express our concerns about the potential outcome of the Commission's Fitness Check of the EU rules on trade in seal products. Read our letter here:
www.humaneworld.org/sites/defaul...
www.humaneworld.org
November 17, 2025 at 3:48 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
Only one hurdle now remains for a Polish ban on fur farming. Both the Sjem & Senate have voted overwhelmingly in favour.

Now President Nawrocki has 21 days to sign off on the legislation to make fur farming history in Poland.
otwarteklatki.bsky.social Otwarte Klatki @otwarteklatki.bsky.social · 19d
❗️ Wchodzimy w PRZEŁOMOWY MOMENT. Projekt zakazu hodowli zwierząt na futra trafił do Prezydenta. Dalszy los ustawy zależy od jego decyzji.

Dlatego razem z Panem Janem Fryczem apelujemy do Prezydenta @karolnawrockipl.bsky.social o podjęcie historycznego kroku i podpisanie projektu.
November 7, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social
🐟Our latest study has revealed a shocking number of #fish used for chemical testing in the #EU - despite rules to use #animaltesting only as a last resort. With the upcoming revision of EU's chemical law, #REACH, it's time to adopt #animal-free methods! Read more: www.humaneworld.org/en/news/hund...
November 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
prowildlife.bsky.social
⚠️The #CITES Secretariat launched a fact-finding mission to the world's largest private #zoo in #India. It flags problems with the incredible number & species of #wildlife imported - contrasting India's Supreme Court's conclusions.

▶️ india.mongabay.com/2025/11/glob...

#WildlifeTrade #CITESCoP20
Global biodiversity assessment counters Supreme Court's clean chit to Vantara
A new CITES report highlights gaps in India’s due diligence on wildlife trade. It recommends India halt imports of endangered species till it reviews its import procedures and strengthens enforcement.
india.mongabay.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
humaneworldeurope.bsky.social
☠️ The “lethal dose” test was first introduced in 1927 to determine the amount of a chemical or substance that kills 50% of a group of animals. It is still in use despite progress in animal-free science. As the #EU prepares to update its chemicals law, REACH, we can end LD tests for good.
November 5, 2025 at 2:56 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
Yet another exposé of the horrors of animal transport from @eyesonanimals.bsky.social & @awf-germany.bsky.social.

And yet @ec.europa.eu’s proposal to improve welfare during animal transports is still being blocked by MEPs seeking to maintain status quo or weaken current rules.
nos.nl/l/2589248
Dierenleed bij vervoer 'restbiggen': 'Dit is geen transport, dit is overleven'
Elk jaar worden er honderdduizenden zogenoemde 'restbiggen', die ongeschikt zijn als vleesvarken in Nederland, naar Zuid-Europa vervoerd. Daarbij gaat veel mis, zien dierenorganisaties.
nos.nl
November 5, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
michielvanhulten.eu
Dutch exit poll: centrist-liberal D66 leading.
October 29, 2025 at 8:04 PM
joswabe.bsky.social
Today we go to the polls here in the Netherlands. I have already done my civic duty.

All I can now do is hope that the majority of my fellow citizens also vote for political parties who can form a more progressive, social & humane government.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Dutch sign outside voting station on the Wibautstraat, Amsterdam showing red pencil & text ‘vote here’. Conveniently located next door to my swimming pool!
October 29, 2025 at 10:28 AM
joswabe.bsky.social
How NGOs die - Europe’s playbook for dismantling democracy.

This piece from @alemanno.bsky.social is chilling. Question is when will animal protection NGOs come under similar attack?
euobserver.com/EU%20Politic...
How NGOs die — Europe's playbook for dismantling democracy
The playbook is brutally efficient: fabricate a scandal, delegitimise and defund organisations into dependency on philanthropic support, then criminalise their new funding as foreign influence — all w...
euobserver.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Reposted by Dr Jo Swabe
greenpeace.eu
At #COP30, Big Ag will be spreading a wave of bullshit, but no amount of buzzwords can hide the fact that industrial livestock farming is driving the climate crisis

Equip yourself with this wonderful guide from @desmog.com

#StopBigAg

www.desmog.com/2025/10/26/b...
Look Out for These 8 Big Ag Greenwashing Terms at COP30
Food and farming companies will claim agriculture is the solution to the climate crisis at the Brazil summit — even though food drives a third of global warming.
www.desmog.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:51 AM