The eco-friendly burger: Could cultured meat improve the environmental sustainability of meat products?

Abstract

EMBO Reports (2019) 20: e47395[OpenUrl][1][FREE Full Text][2] Humanity is facing the twin challenge of producing sufficient and nutritious food for a growing and increasingly affluent population while reducing the environmental impact of agriculture. Livestock in particular is a major environmental stressor [1] as it produces an estimated 15% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [2], which is more than the whole transportation sector. The main sources of these emissions are methane from ruminants' enteric fermentation, emissions related to feed production, manure management and use of energy. In addition, cutting down forests for pasture and feed production substantially contributes to carbon dioxide emissions and biodiversity loss, especially in tropical regions. Livestock production also releases nitrogen and phosphorus into waterways, which causes eutrophication, disturbs ecosystems and can even result in oxygen depletion in lakes and oceans with drastic consequences for fish and other aquatic species. Lastly, livestock production consumes around a quarter of all fresh water available. > Population growth and rising average incomes mean that the global demand for livestock products will further increase by up to 70% between 2010 and 2050… Population growth and rising average incomes mean that the global demand for livestock products will further increase by up to 70% between 2010 and 2050 [2], which will have dramatic environmental consequences. However, the possibilities for increasing livestock production without increasing its environmental impact are very limited. Intensive livestock systems may help to use resources more efficiently and to better control emissions, but it has negative effects on animal welfare owing to limited space and cramped living conditions. > Cultured meat has often been heralded as a silver bullet for solving the environmental problems caused by livestock production. One possible solution is substituting meat with plant‐based alternatives [3]. Nonetheless, despite the increasing availability … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DEMBO%2BReports%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.15252%252Fembr.201847395%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F30552146%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=FULL&journalCode=embor&resid=20/1/e47395&atom=%2Fembor%2F20%2F1%2Fe47395.atom