McFadden, C. (2023, May 14). New study suggests that lab-grown meat produces up to 25 times more CO2. Interesting Engineering. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://interestingengineering.com/science/lab-grown-meat-25-times-co2
A new study from the University of California Davis suggests that lab grown meat, or animal cell-based meat(ACBM), may have a significantly worse environmental impact than traditional livestock farming. The research estimates that if current techniques of creating ACBM are scaled up for the market, ACBM production would result in four to twenty-five times more CO2 emissions than conventional meat production. The results found by this study were unexpected but they can be attributed to the energy intensive process involved in providing cultured cells with nutrients, which requires fossil fuels. Additionally, the elimination of toxins during the production process contributes to high energy and resource costs. Researchers propose developing cell lines that can tolerate more toxins to reduce emissions. It is important to note that the study has not yet undergone peer review.
Upon reading this article about this study I was stunned. I have heard of creating meat in a lab, or ACBM, and how through this process, we can help reduce CO2 emissions and help the environment, as there is less land and nutrients/resources required to create the ACBM. However, this study flips that notion on its head. The study shows that while this new method of creating meat may seem better for the environment, it is many times more damaging. Although, it is important to remember that the study has not yet undergone peer review so the results are not 100% conclusive. Although this article came from UC Davis, the effects of ACBM production are seen globally. Expectations for the future and reducing CO2 emissions due to meat production may be set back, expecting more CO2 emissions in the future. Additionally, new ways of cutting down CO2 emissions in the meat processing process may start to be discovered to help hit targets such as the one stated in the previous article, staying under a 1.5℃ increase in global temperature.
Wow, this is shocking! I also assumed that lab-grown meat was much more environmentally friendly than the current standard of livestock farming, which is known to be bad for our environment. If lab-grown meat or ACBM is not the promising alternative it was posed to be, what alternative steps do you think could be taken to improve the current and unsustainable state of livestock farming?
I think if lab-grown meat is not a good alternative to conventional farming, then we should try to decrease the amount of meat eaten or try to eat meat that is grown in more environmentally friendly ways. This would decrease demand for meat made in ways that harm the environment greatly and thus reduce their carbon footprint.