60 scientists, business experts, and campaigners have signed an open letter calling on the UK government to invest £1 billion in alternative proteins between now and 2030.
According to the letter, shifting to sustainable proteins could reduce the climate impact of meat by up to 92%. Meanwhile, a fully deployed sustainable proteins sector could bring $1.1 trillion in gross value and create up to 9.8 million jobs worldwide by 2050.
“[Alt proteins are] the best investment, dollar for dollar, for reducing carbon emissions”
The signatories also note that alternative proteins provide resilience to the shocks affecting food supply chains, which could improve food security. They point out that countries such as Singapore and the US are pioneering the commercialisation of cultivated and fermented proteins, while the UK risks being left behind.
Though £1 billion is a significant investment, it represents less than 5% of the £22 billion committed under the UK Infrastructure Bank’s plan to tackle the climate crisis. The letter argues that alternative proteins must be taken as seriously as other climate technologies like renewable energy, suggesting that the investment could be combined with measures like regulatory, tax, and labelling refinements to bring about a “food revolution”.
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