Ban Cattle to Slow Climate Change?
June 6, 2022
“What if we banned beef cattle worldwide starting today?” a North Carolina inventor and futurist asks, explaining that cows are major emitters of gases that can drive climate change. He calls instead for “bioreactor beef” grown from animal cells in meat factories. This aligns with ideas that Alex Smith and Saloni Shah explore in Issues. “The government should accelerate innovation in alternative meats to benefit the environment, public health, workers, rural communities, and the ethical treatment of animals,” they write. The government should also commit to “easing the social and economic disruptions that could accompany a transition away from traditional livestock production.”