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Meat Consumption and Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Martin C. Parlasca

    (Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany)

  • Matin Qaim

    (Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany)

Abstract

Meat has become a controversial topic in public debates, as it involves multiple sustainability dimensions. Here, we review global meat consumption trends and the various sustainability dimensions involved, including economic, social, environmental, health, and animal welfare issues. Meat has much larger environmental and climate footprints than plant-based foods and can also be associated with negative health effects. Technological options can help to increase the sustainability of meat production, but changes in consumption are required as well. At least in high-income countries, where people consume a lot of meat on average, notable reductions will be important. However, vegetarian lifestyles for all would not necessarily be the best option. Especially in low-income countries, nutritious plant-based foods are not available or affordable year-round. Also, livestock production is an important source of income for many poor households. More research is needed on how to promote technological and behavioral changes while managing sustainability trade-offs.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin C. Parlasca & Matin Qaim, 2022. "Meat Consumption and Sustainability," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 17-41, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reseco:v:14:y:2022:p:17-41
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-resource-111820-032340
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Benjamin Leon Bodirsky & Susanne Rolinski & Anne Biewald & Isabelle Weindl & Alexander Popp & Hermann Lotze-Campen, 2015. "Global Food Demand Scenarios for the 21st Century," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-27, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Doris Läpple, 2023. "Information about Climate Change Mitigation: What Do Farmers Think?," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 22(1), pages 74-80, April.
    2. Merlo, Marie & Hennessy, Thia & Buckley, Cathal & O'Mahony, James, 2024. "A comparison of animal and plant-based proteins from an economic, environmental, and nutritional perspective in the Republic of Ireland," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    3. Parkhi, Charuta M. & Liverpool-Tasie, Saweda & Reardon, Thomas A., 2022. "Food systems transformation and changing demand for animal proteins: Evidence from Nigeria," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322594, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Kevin W. Maina & Martin C. Parlasca & Elizaphan J. O. Rao & Matin Qaim, 2024. "Farmer‐friendly delivery of veterinary services: Experimental insights from the Kenyan dairy sector," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(3), pages 829-846, September.
    5. Darnell Holt & Peter Slade & Jill Hobbs, 2024. "Do consumers care about clean labels? Willingness to pay for simple ingredient lists and front‐of‐package labels on beef and plant‐based burgers," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 72(1), pages 5-21, March.
    6. Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica & Mulders, Maartje D.G.H. & Mouritzen, Simone Lykke Tranholm, 2023. "Outside-in and bottom-up: Using sustainability transitions to understand the development phases of mainstreaming plant-based in the food sector in a meat and dairy focused economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    7. Marta Kozicka & Petr Havlík & Hugo Valin & Eva Wollenberg & Andre Deppermann & David Leclère & Pekka Lauri & Rebekah Moses & Esther Boere & Stefan Frank & Chris Davis & Esther Park & Noel Gurwick, 2023. "Feeding climate and biodiversity goals with novel plant-based meat and milk alternatives," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Wehner, Jasmin & Yu, Xiaohua, 2024. "Drivers Of The Global Thirst For Milk," Sustainable Food Systems Discussion Papers 347737, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    9. Yimin Mao & Peihua Ma & Tangyuan Li & He Liu & Xinpeng Zhao & Shufeng Liu & Xiaoxue Jia & Shaik O. Rahaman & Xizheng Wang & Minhua Zhao & Gang Chen & Hua Xie & Alexandra H. Brozena & Bin Zhou & Yaguan, 2024. "Flash heating process for efficient meat preservation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    10. Junwen Jia & Fang Wu & Hao Yu & Jieming Chou & Qinmei Han & Xuefeng Cui, 2024. "Global meat consumption driver analysis with machine learning methods," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(4), pages 829-843, August.
    11. Leonhard Lades & Federica Nova, 2022. "Ethical Considerations when using Behavioural Insights to Reduce Peoples Meat Consumption," Working Papers 202209, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    12. Arnold L. Musungu & Beatrice W. Muriithi & Changeh J. Ghemoh & Dorothy Nakimbugwe & Chrysantus M. Tanga, 2023. "Production, consumption, and market supply of edible crickets: insights from East Africa," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, December.
    13. L. Lades & F. Nova, 2024. "Ethical Considerations When Using Nudges to Reduce Meat Consumption: an Analysis Through the FORGOOD Ethics Framework," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 1-19, March.
    14. Thabang R. Aphane & Chiedza L. Muchopa & Mmapatla P. Senyolo, 2024. "Causality Relationship Between Producer and Consumer Price Indexes of Selected Meat Commodities in South Africa from 1991 to 2023," Economies, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-19, December.
    15. Erhard, Ainslee & Banerjee, Sanchayan & Morren, Meike, 2024. "Driving public support for a meat tax: Fiscal policies and behavioral interventions," Sustainable Food Systems Discussion Papers 344114, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    animal-sourced foods; biodiversity; climate change; health; lab-grown meat; nutrition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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