13. The loss of food sovereignty in synthetic meat transition: a critique from eco-republican justice

Abstract

In a socio-ecological context of accelerated climate change, environmental pollution, ecosystems depletion, loss of biodiversity and growing undernutrition in an increasing number of countries, our societies are at a crossroads that requires food systems conversion. Synthetic meat has been achieving popularity during the last years because it is presented as one of the fairest food productions for the forthcoming decades. It could be an apparent solution for the ecological and food crisis which tendency is to worsen throughout the 21st century. It promises to ensure food security while environmental impacts and animal suffering are dramatically reduced. Hence, it seems reasonable that synthetic meat transition is defended from an utilitarian theory of justice. However, in such transition there are still moral deep-rooted issues in the food systems not addressed primarily by lab-grown meat, like our relationship with animals, the land-use change, the food sovereignty, or the interdependencies between fauna and flora. This paper aims to explore the challenges of synthetic meat in societies guided by a non-utilitarian justice framework. In particular, it will be focused on the food sovereignty loss due to the top down practices developed in high-tech labs with artificial interventionism. The production of cultivated meat in order to satisfy the growing protein demands is a supply process which prioritizes food security entitlements. Nevertheless, some other important values are missing from industrialized food chains and hubristic utilitarianism. The recognition of nonhuman nature from interspecific ethics or the caring for resilience and integrity from ecological ethics imply essential considerations in the protection of food sovereignty entitlements. In sum, the anthropocentric and consequentialist approach of synthetic meat is discussed in this contribution providing some arguments regarding an ecological justice approach based on a republican perspective.