The climate impact of meat is hidden, Bill Gates has warned - but the billionaire believes that plant-based meat is the ‘future’.
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Fertiliser and cows are a hidden cause of climate change, Bill Gates has claimed - but plant-based meat is “the future.”
Most people still don’t know how agriculture contributes to climate change, the billionaire claims - specifically the methane emissions from livestock and fertilisers.
"Of all the climate areas, the one that people are probably least aware of is all the fertiliser and cows, and that's a challenge," Gates recently said on the latest episode of his podcast, "Unconfuse Me."
The topic came up because Gates was in conversation with musician and director Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, who, like Gates, also happens to be an early investor in several plant-based food startups, such as Impossible and NotCo.
Thompson, who is from Philadelphia, even recently partnered with Impossible to create a plant-based cheesesteak that counts former president Barack Obama as a fan, he told Gates.
Thompson told Gates he was won over by plant-based foods' ability to mimic the taste of real meat, among other products.
"Something told me plant-based is going to be the future … and I want to be the person that plants the seed," he said.
What is the agricultural impact of climate change?
The agricultural industry contributes roughly 24 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, with much of that stemming from methane emissions from livestock and fertilizer used to cultivate crops, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Beef produces the most greenhouse gas emissions, which include methane. A global average of 50kg of greenhouse gases is released per 99 grams of beef.
While plant-based foods have won support from those looking for alternatives to products made from animals, Gates said that he started backing plant-based food ventures because of their potential to combat climate change.
"I came to it more from that climate angle," he said
In fact, if cattle "were a country," Gates wrote in 2018, "they would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases [in the world]."
In his 2021 book, "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster," Gates wrote that effectively combating climate change will take people being willing to commit to new ideas, like switching to electric cars and synthetic meats.
That same year, Gates argued that wealthy countries that have the resources to do so "should move to 100% per cent synthetic beef" in order to meaningfully reduce global emissions from livestock, he told the MIT Technology Review. "You can get used to the taste difference, and the claim is they're going to make it taste even better over time," he said at the time.
"Eventually, that green premium is modest enough that you can sort of change the [behaviour of] people or use regulation to totally shift the demand."
How is Bill Gates supporting plant-based beef?
Plant-based meat sales still represent just a small percentage of the total meat market, and even Gates admits it will be difficult to convince enough people to stop eating real meat to make a significant difference.
One issue is that the still relatively new products are currently more expensive than real meats.
That's why Gates and his foundation have financially backed plant-based and lab-grown meat startups such as Impossible, Beyond Meat and Upside Foods. He's also backed Neutral, a carbon-neutral food startup.
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Speaking to Thompson about the plant-based meat startups, like Impossible, Gates said that "they're doing well, but a lot of people want him to make [the product] even slightly better." "They have a good roadmap, so I'm optimistic," he said.
FAQs
The climate impact of meat is hidden, Bill Gates has warned - but the billionaire believes that plant-based meat is the 'future'. Fertiliser and cows are a hidden cause of climate change, Bill Gates has claimed - but plant-based meat is “the future.”
How bad is meat for climate change? ›
2. It causes climate change. The climate impact of meat is enormous – roughly equivalent to all the driving and flying of every car, truck and plane in the world. When forests are destroyed to produce industrial meat, billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.
Should we stop eating meat? ›
Research shows that people who eat red meat are at a higher risk of death from heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Processed meats also make the risk of death from these diseases go up. And what you don't eat also can harm your health.
What will happen to the planet if we keep eating meat? ›
When land is used to raise animals instead of crops, precious water and soil are lost, trees are cut down to make land for grazing or factory-farm sheds, and untreated animal waste pollutes rivers and streams.
Does Bill Gates want us to stop eating meat? ›
Bill Gates: Expecting people to stop eating meat or consumers to cut back won't be enough to fix climate change.
What meat are we not supposed to eat according to the Bible? ›
However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud.
What food has the highest carbon footprint? ›
Animal-based foods, especially red meat, dairy, and farmed shrimp, are generally associated with the highest greenhouse gas emissions.
Should I stop eating red meat? ›
The researchers found "low" evidence that either red meat or processed meat is harmful. Their advice: there's no need to reduce your regular red meat and processed meat intake for health reasons.
What is the healthiest meat to eat? ›
But to break it down in terms of meats only, and which is the healthiest, here's our list featuring the best:
- Top overall: Lean cuts. ...
- Lean cuts of Pork: ...
- Healthiest: Skinless Turkey Meat. ...
- Healthiest: Skinless Chicken Breast. ...
- Healthiest: Flank, strip steak, and 95% lean ground beef. ...
- Sources:
After the Great Flood, God changes the rule, allowing consumption of meat: “Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat; as with the green grasses, I give you all these” (Gen. 9:3). There are, however, restrictions: “You must not, however, eat flesh with its life-blood in it.
Although many humans choose to eat both plants and meat, earning us the dubious title of “omnivore,” we're anatomically herbivorous. The good news is that if you want to eat like our ancestors, you still can: Nuts, vegetables, fruit, and legumes are the basis of a healthy vegan lifestyle.
Will going vegan save the earth? ›
The production of plant-based foods requires less land, fewer resources, and produces vastly fewer greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, research shows that the carbon footprint of a vegan diet can be as much as 60% smaller than a meat-based one, and 24% smaller than a vegetarian diet.
What will happen if all humans become vegetarian? ›
In a more vegetarian world, the diversity of life on Earth would probably also improve. In fact, the use of land for livestock farming, either for direct grazing or for producing animal feed, is one of the main causes of loss of habitat and a threat to biodiversity.
Will vegans save the planet? ›
The research showed that vegan diets resulted in 75% less climate-heating emissions, water pollution and land use than diets in which more than 100g of meat a day was eaten. Vegan diets also cut the destruction of wildlife by 66% and water use by 54%, the study found.
What does God say about us eating meat? ›
In Leviticus 11, the Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron and sets out which animals can be eaten and which cannot: “You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them.
What did Albert Einstein say about meat? ›
Before Albert Einstein went vegetarian, he once said, “I have always eaten animal flesh with a somewhat guilty conscience.” He would be disgusted to hear that on factory farms today, animals live crowded together by the thousands in dark, filthy sheds and cages.
Is Bill Gates a vegetarian? ›
Bill Gates is a proponent of a plant based diet and openly concurs that cattle (ruminants) are damaging for the planet and that is would be "great" for the planet if people ate less meat. He has even financially backed a number of plant-based meat alternatives including Beyond, Impossible and Memphis.
Did Jesus say eat meat? ›
There is no direct statement on the subject by Jesus in the New Testament. The story of Jesus feeding fish to people would support the view that Jesus may have been a pescatarian. Paul seems to have been more open to meat eating, but even Paul was open to vegetarianism.
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