Meat production, technological advances, and environmental protection: evidence from a dynamic panel data model

Production of meat, which spans numerous agricultural and food industries and sectors, has profound negative global impacts on the environment. Almost 70% of freshwater resources are consumed by crops and livestock, mainly serving farms and meat production. The agriculture sector has many adverse environmental impacts, including those related to direct and localized pollution. Furthermore, the meat industry in particular generates more carbon emissions than the transport sector. Meat production is expected to increase by at least 30% by 2050, accelerated by the on-going increase in the meat-consuming adult population worldwide. To address this environmental issue, this study aims to investigate the dynamic effects of meat production and technological advances on the environment. The two-step system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) was used for a panel of 37 developing and developed nations over the years from 1998 to 2018. Four different indicators captured environmental protection: CO2 emissions from agriculture, CO2 emissions from transportation, CO2 emissions from liquid fuel energy, and CO2 emissions per capita. For technological advances three main patent indicators were used: environmental-related, biotechnology, and ICT patents. The empirical evidence reveals three major results: (1) Meat production hurts the environment by increasing atmospheric pollution; (2) GDP per capita growth and urbanization exert a negative influence on the environment; (3) the interactive effects of technological advances and meat production have a positive impact on the environment; (4) most empirical outcomes show negative net effects on environmental sustainability. Policymakers need to encourage the development and adoption of technological advances in the meat industry to mitigate carbon emissions.