World Economic Forum Urges Governments to Advocate for Synthetic Meats and Alternative Protein Options
In a recent white paper titled "Creating a Vibrant Food Innovation Ecosystem," the World Economic Forum (WEF) has outlined a push towards alternative proteins as a means to drive consumer behavior change and address environmental concerns.
The report, which focuses on plant-based meat, cultivated meat, and fermented products as alternative protein sources, urges governments to promote these innovative food options. However, it acknowledges that the high-tech nature and high capital expenditures of alternative proteins may pose investment challenges for some parts of the private sector.
To overcome these challenges, the WEF suggests that governments should create supportive, agile, and efficient regulatory processes to ensure safe and transparent pathways for alternative proteins. This, they argue, is necessary to meet climate, biodiversity, food security, and public health goals.
The transformative potential of alternative proteins, particularly for farmers, is not lost on the WEF. They believe that farmers can benefit from and lead the transition towards a thriving alt-protein economy. The report also highlights the significant advantages of alternative proteins, such as plant-based and cultivated meat, which require a small fraction of the land and cause far fewer emissions than industrial animal farming.
The WEF's 2019 white paper on alternative proteins also included purely plant-based alternatives, products based on insects, and the application of biotechnology to develop cultured meat. However, the current report does not mention the use of insects as an alternative protein, a potential source that was previously considered.
Interestingly, some countries have taken a different approach. Italy has banned lab-grown meat, and several other states in the US have proposed legislation to outlaw it. Despite these opposing views, the WEF argues that investing in sustainable protein diversification pathways is essential to address the challenges of climate change, food security, and planetary health.
The narrative for promoting alternative proteins is framed as a solution to these pressing issues. Repurposing land freed up from alternative protein production can be used for biodiversity preservation, reforestation, and more ecologically friendly and regenerative methods of animal farming.
In conclusion, the WEF's latest report underscores the need for a shift towards alternative proteins to create a more sustainable food system. The report calls on governments to adapt to evolving global food systems and diversify their food value chains to benefit from integrating alternative proteins into their national policies. This could pave the way for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future for food production.
