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Sustainable development

Cultivated Meat's Carbon Footprint: Can Green Energy Offset Its Energy Intensity?

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Cultivated meat production, a method of meat production that involves growing animal cells in a controlled environment, has been touted as a more sustainable alternative to conventional meat production. However, researchers have raised concerns that its energy-intensive production method may offset its environmental benefits. A study by researchers at the Oxford Martin School in 2019 found that the manufacture of cultivated meat can result in more global warming due to the difference in gas emissions: methane vs CO₂. However, the study suggested that a 'large-scale' transition to a decarbonised energy system would be required to make cultivated meat production the clear winner in the environmental sustainability stakes.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cultivated meat production is energy-intensive due to the need to run bioreactors at a controlled temperature, which requires a significant input of energy.
  • Researchers have suggested that the benefits of reducing methane emissions from cultivated meat could be outweighed by increased carbon dioxide emissions if the energy used is non-renewable.
  • However, if renewable energy is used, cultivated meat production could have a lower environmental footprint than conventional meat production, with studies suggesting that it could reduce global warming impacts by up to 92% compared to beef production.
  • A study by CE Delft on behalf of the Good Food Institute found that if renewable energy is used in its production, cultivated meat could have a lower environmental footprint than conventional meat production, with a 52% reduction in global warming impacts compared to conventional pork.
  • The same study found that if conventional animal agriculture reduces its environmental impact, including by using renewable energy in farm and feed operations, cultivated meat produced leveraging renewable energy could reduce global warming impacts by 17% compared to conventional chicken.

Statistics:

  • The manufacture of cultivated meat can result in more global warming due to the difference in gas emissions: methane vs CO₂ (Oxford Martin School study, 2019).
  • A 'large-scale' transition to a decarbonised energy system would be required to make cultivated meat production the clear winner in the environmental sustainability stakes (Oxford Martin School study, 2019).
  • Renewable energy can reduce the carbon footprint of cultivated meat production by up to 92% compared to beef production (CE Delft study on behalf of the Good Food Institute).
  • Conventional animal agriculture accounts for approximately 20% of carbon emissions throughout the supply chain (GFI).
  • Cultivated meat produced with renewable energy can reduce global warming impacts by up to 92% compared to beef production (CE Delft study on behalf of the Good Food Institute).
  • The use of green energy could reduce the environmental impact of cultivated meat production by 80% (CE Delft study on behalf of the Good Food Institute).

Sources:

  • Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems‘Climate Impacts of Cultured Meat and Beef Cattle’ (Published 19 February 2019, DOI: https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00005)
  • CE Delft study on behalf of the Good Food Institute (no date mentioned in the original text)
  • John Lynch and Raymond Pierrehumbert. "Climate Impacts of Cultured Meat and Beef Cattle." Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 19 February 2019, doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00005.

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