With the world’s population hitting an all-time high of 8 billion this November, many were left confused about whether to mark this as an achievement or a worrying sign for planetary health. The steady increase in population is not simply indicative of more neighbors or longer waiting lines, but has real, far-reaching implications for the global population in terms of access to basic resources — land, water, air, and food.
By 2050, while the world will have to close a 56 percent gap in food production, the demand for meat is projected to simultaneously increase by 70 percent, adding significant pressure to our already dwindling natural resources. To tackle this challenge of meeting global demand without depleting resources that are key to maintaining supply, we need to reimagine our food system — in particular, the way we source protein.
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