Alternative Proteins: The Next Sustainable Revolution Federal renewable energy investments and policies provide an ideal model for U.S. policymakers to support the burgeoning alternative protein industry. Animal agriculture is not only the leading cause of deforestation, biodiversity loss and water degradation globally but also produces one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the tremendous environmental consequences of this industry, federal governments’ investments to address its harmful effects have been minimal. However, just as electric vehicles and solar energy are replacing the internal combustion engine and fossil fuels, alternative proteins can optimize the sustainability and efficiency of our food system. Fast-acting green technology While green innovations like electric vehicles and solar power are rapidly expanding, their implementation alone cannot prevent us from surpassing 1.5℃ warming by 2030. Instead, a global shift to animal-free diets could cut the carbon footprint of agriculture in half, a necessary shift to meet the Paris Climate Accord goals. This seemingly modest change would substantially reduce the most powerful and short-lived greenhouse gasses in our air (methane and nitrous oxide). In addition, if land previously used for animal agriculture were allowed to rewild, it could sequester CO2 equivalent to the past 16 years of global GHG emissions. The federal government can accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, animal-free diet, by increasing support for alternative proteins: meat, dairy, egg, and seafood products made from plants, cultivated from animal cells, or produced by microorganisms. In addition to providing rapid environmental benefits, the alternative protein market also offers faster returns, with public investment in agricultural R&D leading to annual economic rates of return up to 60%. While the useful life of the average vehicle is 12 years, people consume protein multiple times a day, providing an opportunity for rapid large-scale consumer demand change. Unlike the capital investment and extended timeline required for electric vehicles or renewable energy power grids, increased demand for alternative proteins can manifest into consumer activity immediately. Improving accessibility The cost of a solar panel installation in 2009 averaged $8.50/watt. Due to government investment, it has since dropped by over 65%. Similarly, the cost of alternative proteins
continues to fall. For example, small-scale cultivated meat costs have decreased from $325,200/lb in 2013 to $11/lb. In the same way that federal investment helped provide the solar industry with innumerable benefits, government support can strengthen the alternative protein industry by eliminating the green premium, ramping up production, and strengthening appeal for these products. Lost opportunities Without continued, substantial government investment into alternative proteins, the U.S. will lose its leadership in the alternative protein industry. This wouldn't be the first time delaying investment in the renewable energy and battery technology fields in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in a loss of U.S. leadership in these industries. China now supplies 80% of the world’s polysilicon — a material that most solar panels use to absorb energy from sunlight —, and produces at least 68% more lithium-ion batteries than the United States. Although alternative protein investment and consumption are already taking off in China, Singapore, Israel and other countries, the U.S. still remains a significant player in the alternative protein industry, and could secure this position with increased federal support. Presently, the U.S. houses 22 of the 44 fermentation companies worldwide and is already home to more well-known corporations like Beyond Meat, Impossible and JUST foods. Increased federal investment into alternative protein R&D would ensure that the U.S. remains the leader in green technology (figure 1). Implementation The most rapidly scalable climate solution, replacing animal proteins with alternative proteins will not only eliminate the fifth greatest source of global greenhouse gas emissions, but can also lead to significant carbon sequestration on freed up land. These enormous environmental benefits are why investment in alternative proteins should be funded alongside other renewable energy initiatives. A range of federal investment tools can be deployed to speed the development of the nascent alternative protein field, including open access research funding, tax incentives, procurement contracts, public private partnerships, and regulatory support. Regardless of the tools employed, substantial investment of some kind is critical for the U.S. to meet its climate targets and remain a leader in the alternative protein industry. Food Solutions Action is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit NOT FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION Copyright © 2022 Food Solutions Action - All Rights Reserved.