UNEP openly endorses cellular agriculture as a potential solution to a number of critical challenges in our food system

Written by Jessica Freitag

19 December 2023

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UNEP has just released a report titled “What’s cooking” which takes a much-needed deep dive into complements to traditionally produced animal protein, with a particular focus on cultivated and precision-fermented food products.

The report displays unprecedented levels of support from the UNEP for the cellular agriculture sector globally, and outlines in great detail the potential environmental, animal welfare, and human health impacts of this nascent sector. 

So, why is this a big deal?

Because UNEP is the leading global authority on the environment, and addresses the UN Environmental Assembly - the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. They work closely with the UN’s 193 members, along with a multitude of non-state actors to execute science-based solutions to issues spanning climate, nature, pollution, sustainable development and more. 

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UNEP, highlights the “critical economic, social and cultural value” of animal agriculture, as well as the importance of the protein, nutrition, and employment provided by animal agriculture industries globally. We agree and believe this is important to recognise.

At the same time, the report does not shy away from the consequences of animal agriculture, with Ms Andersen stating - “how we produce and consume food is contributing to Earth’s triple environmental crisis: the climate emergency, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste, with livestock production and consumption playing a key role in all three.”

The report finds that both the emissions produced directly by animal agriculture, as well as those indirectly associated through land clearing and growing animal feed, are “driving the loss of tropical forests, … polluting our groundwater, rivers and seas.”

Critically, it is found that animal agriculture (including animal emissions, feed, changes in land use and supply chains) contributes 14.5-20% of global human-caused GHG emissions, with our overall food system making up 30% of global emissions.

And adding to this, the report projects meat consumption to grow by at least 50% by 2050, which arguably greatly threatens global decarbonisation efforts and our ability to meet climate targets. 

The UNEP acknowledges that whilst a number of other initiatives have been proposed or trialled to reduce the environmental damage caused by the animal agriculture sector, that these are currently “not achieving the desired impacts at the scale or speed necessary.“

It is concluded that “food systems, including the meat and dairy sector, must be part of the social and economic transformations required to halt and reverse the damage we are inflicting on Earth’s natural systems.” And that products produced using cellular agriculture technologies “can play an important role, likely with regional differences, in a shift towards food systems that are more sustainable, healthier and less harmful to animals.”

Significant work is already being done in this space on both a local and global level. Multiple Australian companies including Eden Brew, Magic Valley, and Vow, to name a few (see our industry map for a comprehensive listing!), are leading the way through developing cultivated foods and precision-fermented products. 

Following its endorsement of cultivated, fermentation-derived, and novel plant-based food products, the UNEP calls for governments to better enable the development of these technologies and products by influencing the policy and regulatory environment. 

The report emphasizes that support from appropriate regulatory regimes and governance instruments is necessary for the potential of cellular agriculture and novel proteins to be realised.

Given this, a number of potential policy mechanisms are outlined including the development of transparent and streamlined regulatory approval frameworks, as well as the provision of funding for open-sourced research and commercialisation to companies.

Whilst the Australian government is acknowledged in the report for its support provided to cellular agriculture and plant-based companies, CAA believes more substantial government backing and support, as well as a more streamlined and resourced regulatory system, is required to best advance the development of the cellular agriculture sector in Australia. 

As such, we’ve made policy and advocacy one of our core priorities for 2024. Through our work in this space, we hope to ensure the necessary policy, regulatory and public funding mechanisms are in place to enable Australia's cellular agriculture sector to realise its potential.

The report goes on to acknowledge that despite the potential of cellular agriculture, care must be taken to assess the impact on existing jobs, small-scale farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and gender impacts - all of which are extremely relevant in the Australian context where animal agriculture has such great economic and social value. 

Our view is that cellular agriculture offers an opportunity to diversify and strengthen Australia's agricultural system, complementing existing industries rather than replacing or undermining them. This approach, we believe, can sustain Australia's agricultural industry while ensuring food security now and into the future.

It is emphasised that any growth in cellular agriculture products needs to be “socially fair and well-managed”. This is undoubtedly critical in the Australian context, where there is a clear need to protect and prioritise the needs of farmers. 

This is where we believe collaboration between existing primary industries and cell ag companies can benefit. A notable example of this is dairy producer Norco’s partnership with precision-fermented dairy company Eden Brew. In 2024, we intend to focus our efforts more strongly on broadening the ecosystem to foster similar mutually beneficial relationships between cellular agriculture and traditional ag stakeholders.

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Read the full report here.