Assessment of the environmental sustainability of plant-based meat and pork: Opportunities for improved sustainability practices in the industry
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This document assesses the environmental sustainability of plant-based meats and pork in China. It finds that doubling food production while reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by 73% by 2050 will be a major challenge. It compares the life cycle impacts of plant-based meats made from soy, pea, and wheat proteins and oils, as well as pork and beef. The results show that the crop type and source country of the core protein ingredient drives the environmental performance of plant-based meats. The document provides sustainability guidelines for sourcing ingredients from regions with low deforestation risk and irrigation needs, using renewable energy in production, and avoiding coal power.
Assessment of the environmental sustainability of plant-based meat and pork: Opportunities for improved sustainability practices in the industry
- 1. Assessment of the environmental sustainability of plant-based meat and pork OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES IN THE INDUSTRY
- 2. Team Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (IEDA), Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences (CAAS) • Wei Sha • Dong Hongmin CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) • Isaac Emery (Informed Sustainability Consulting) • Martin Heller (Blonk Consultants) • Eva Wollenberg (University of Vermont) This work was implemented as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), which is carried out with support from the CGIAR Trust Fund and through bilateral funding agreements. For details please visit https://ccafs.cgiar.org/donors. The views expressed in this document cannot be taken to reflect the official opinions of these organizations.
- 3. Outline • Why? – The sustainability challenge • What? – Foods selected for comparison • How? – Data & methods • Results • Ingredient sustainability: proteins • Ingredient sustainability: oils • Plant-based meat sustainability • Guidelines for environmentally-friendly plant-based meats
- 4. The Sustainability Challenge By 2050, to meet food security and climate mitigation goals, society must: 1. Double food production 2. Reduce agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 73%
- 5. Foods Compared Composition Representative ingredient Other ingredients Plant protein Soy (concentrate, isolate), pea (concentrate, isolate), wheat (gluten) Fat Rapeseed oil, corn oil, coconut oil Sunflower oil, palm oil Carbohydrate Wheat starch, sugars Flavor Salt, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, rosemary and other spices Adhesive material Methyl cellulose, inulin, starch, carrageenan, xanthan gum Colorant Beet juice extract, caramel pigment, bean hemoglobin Main ingredients for formulations of plant-based meat in China
- 6. Foods Compared Composition Representative ingredient Other ingredients Plant protein Soy (concentrate, isolate), pea (concentrate, isolate), wheat (gluten) Fat Rapeseed oil, corn oil, coconut oil Sunflower oil, palm oil Carbohydrate Wheat starch, sugars Flavor Salt, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, rosemary and other spices Adhesive material Methyl cellulose, inulin, starch, carrageenan, xanthan gum Colorant Beet juice extract, caramel pigment, bean hemoglobin Main ingredients for formulations of plant-based meat in China
- 7. Life Cycle Assessment Method Impact Assessment ∑ (GHG emissions) ∑ (water use) ∑ (land use) ∑ (biodiversity loss) Product Comparison Plant-based meats • Soy-based • Pea-based • Wheat-based Animal meats • Pork • Beef
- 8. Data Sources Impact Assessment ReCiPe 2016: • ∑ GHG emissions • ∑ water use • ∑ land use Chaudhary et al. 2018 • ∑ biodiversity loss (crop production only) Product Comparison Plant-based meats • Current study Animal meats • Pork • CAAS carbon footprint • Literature review • Beef • Literature review Production Data Crop production (China): • China: CAAS review of national statistics • International: Agrifootprint 5 LCA database Ingredient processing: • China: CAAS review of industry reports • International: Agrifootprint 5 LCA database Plant-based meat processing: • Meija et al. 2018, Berardy et al. 2020 Energy and fuels production and use: • IEA (2018 Chinese electric generation mix) • Agrifootprint 5 LCA database • Ecoinvent LCA database
- 15. Sustainability Guidelines Ingredient Guidelines: The crop type and source country of the core protein ingredient drives plant-based meat performance Source protein and oil ingredients from regions with minimal risk of deforestation Source ingredients from producers with low irrigation needs Energy Guidelines Source renewable energy at the plant-based meat factory Source ingredients from producers who utilize renewable energy and avoid producers who utilize coal power