Growing the Good

The report examines the environmental and health impacts of the global livestock sector, highlighting its role in greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and antimicrobial resistance. It argues that current consumption trends are incompatible with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The document analyzes the rise of plant-based and cultured meat alternatives as disruptive innovations and criticizes the lack of government policies to drive a transition, noting that existing subsidies often support intensive farming. It recommends shifting subsidies, implementing meat taxes, and updating dietary guidelines to promote sustainable, low-emission food systems.

• Livestock production is a significant driver of global climate change, accounting for approximately 16.5% of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2010, and serves as the primary source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
• The livestock sector is a primary cause of biodiversity loss on land, estimated to be responsible for about 60% of human-caused biodiversity loss.
• Animal agriculture is a major driver of global deforestation; between 1990 and 2008, it was linked to 30% of global deforestation, with 80% of that resulting from pasture expansion for ruminants.
• The sector's land use is immense, with 7080% of all agricultural land, including 25% of all cropland, used for pasture and animal feed production.
• Intensive livestock production is a leading risk factor for the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide due to the high volume of antibiotics used for growth promotion and disease control in confined conditions.
• Excessive consumption of red and processed meats is linked to increased incidences of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, such as bowel cancer.
• The global livestock sector is highly concentrated, with the top five meat and dairy corporations producing more annual GHG emissions than Exxon, Shell, and BP combined.
• There is a critical absence of public policies to drive a low-carbon transition in the food sector, while existing subsidies, such as the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), often support polluting intensive farming.
• Plant-based and cultured meat alternatives are growing rapidly, with the global meat substitute market estimated at 4.6 billion USD, driven by technological innovation and shifting consumer preferences among younger generations.
• Reducing global demand for animal products is identified as one of the most cost-effective and simplest ways to mitigate GHG emissions and free up land for carbon sinks.
• The report suggests that a 50% global reduction in the production and consumption of animal products by 2050 is necessary to maintain ecological sustainability and food security.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2018). Growing the Good. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Growing_the_Good-The_Case_for_Low-Carbon_Transition_in_the_Food_Sector.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Growing the Good. 2018. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Growing_the_Good-The_Case_for_Low-Carbon_Transition_in_the_Food_Sector.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Growing the Good |date=October 2018 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Growing_the_Good-The_Case_for_Low-Carbon_Transition_in_the_Food_Sector.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2018growing, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Growing the Good}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Growing_the_Good-The_Case_for_Low-Carbon_Transition_in_the_Food_Sector.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }