(SHARM EL-SHIEKH, EGYPT)* As COP27 comes to a close, a global alliance made up of the U.S. based Alliance for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation (AMPS Innovation), APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), and Cellular Agriculture Europe (CAE) is calling on policy makers to prioritize support of innovative food production technologies like cultivated foods as part of the agricultural reforms that are critical to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases.
During COP27, attendees sat down for a series of historic dining experiences organized by AMPS Innovation member GOOD Meat in partnership with the Singapore Pavilion. These events showcased real, high-quality meat made from animal cells for the first time outside of the Southeast Asian city-state where it debuted nearly two years ago. Current and former senior government officials from approximately 10 countries tasted cultivated meat for the first time.
“It is great that cellular agriculture was part of the conversation at COP27, with world leaders even having the opportunity to try the cultivated chicken that is being sold in Singapore. Now we need to see concrete efforts to lift up this important innovation into the policy frameworks for emissions reductions around the world,” said Dr. David Tonucci, President of AMPS Innovation.
“Current food production methods are the third largest contributor to the climate crisis and drastic changes are required if we are to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Just reforming conventional animal agriculture methods will not be enough alone to sustainably feed 10 billion people in 2050, especially with the FAO predicting meat consumption rising over 50% in the same time period,” said Dr. Sandhya Sriram, President of APAC-SCA. “Countries must also be ready and willing to use public resources to level the playing field for innovative and sustainable protein production methods like cellular agriculture.”
“It is great news that the FAO has committed to producing a climate roadmap for food and agriculture next year. We encourage them to include a full suite of solutions to reform the global food system to make it sustainable for people and the planet. Cellular agriculture can be a powerful tool in that mix, but we need governments to step up and help create the enabling conditions necessary for it to thrive and scale up quickly. Considering the role agriculture is playing in the climate crisis, world leaders should be as committed to innovations in food production as they are to the energy transition,” said Robert E. Jones, President of Cellular Agriculture Europe.
The global alliance for cellular agriculture stands ready to engage with policy makers on plans for supporting this growing industry through public-private partnerships to make sure the incredible environmental gains that are possible with cellular agriculture are maximized in the years to come.
*updated on 21st November 2022