Plant and lab-based alternatives reproduce many of the problems of the traditional meat industry, argues Amy Leather
Fake meats are the future. That is what we are being told, as they’re marketed to us as the solution to the climate and food crises.
It’s common to read about a new protein being developed and now lab-grown meat is being touted. Here a clump of cells is taken from an animal, without it being harmed, and are grown in a lab to create what is known as “cultivated” meat. Apparently this offers the possibility of much more real tasting meat alternatives.
So what’s the reality? The first thing to say is that food production is not the sole cause of climate change.
The vast majority of emissions come from burning fossil fuels. To stop climate catastrophe we need to shut down the giant oil, gas and energy companies.
But agriculture and livestock production are responsible for about a quarter to a third of total global emissions. Much of the grain grown in places such as the US is used to feed livestock, and cattle ranching is a main driver of deforestation in the Amazon.
Now big food producers are promoting fake meat products in a cynical attempt to make money out of people’s genuine desire to curb emissions by switching their diets. But they don’t offer a solution to either the climate or food crisis we face.
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