As we celebrate Earth Day, the importance of transforming our food system is higher than ever – here are 10 things you should know about the food we eat, and its impact on the planet.
Meat consumption is on the rise
Despite the abundance of data about the meat industry’s climate impact – it accounts for 60% of all food emissions – meat consumption is projected to continue growing. In 2011, the FAO forecast that by 2050, the world will be eating 73% more meat.
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We waste a billion meals every day
Over 780 million people are facing hunger across the world, but households are throwing away a billion meals daily, leading to more than $1T in economic losses. In fact, a third of all food produced is wasted or lost, and households are responsible for 60% of that.
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Government support for alt-protein is mixed
2024 is set to be a milestone year for regulatory approvals of cultivated meat and precision-fermented proteins, with a bunch of companies already getting the go-ahead in various countries. Some governments – like Canada, the US, Germany, the UK and the EU – are also pumping in capital to support the development of these industries, while others are incorporating plant-based foods into their national plans.
However, substantial legislative hurdles remain. Plant-based meat and labels remain a thorny subject in many parts of the world, although the real battle right now lies with cultivated meat.
