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Pace of Adoption of Alternatives to Animal-Source Foods and Climate Goals

Author

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  • Galina Hale
  • Vlad Onescu
  • Ritesh Bhangale

Abstract

The global food system is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions that lead to climate change. Animal agriculture is responsible for a large share of the food-system emissions, both directly and through the production of animal feed. Limiting global warming to the goals set forth by the international community will not be possible without rapid phasing out of a substantial share of animal-source food. We show that the rapid adoption of alternatives to animal-source foods, such as plant-only diet, or plant-based, cultured, or fermentation-derived analogs to animal products, can be consistent with climate goals. Importantly, the longer the delay in the adoption of alternatives, the larger the share of diet they will have to represent in 2050 for the food system to stay within its carbon budget.

Suggested Citation

  • Galina Hale & Vlad Onescu & Ritesh Bhangale, 2024. "Pace of Adoption of Alternatives to Animal-Source Foods and Climate Goals," NBER Working Papers 32736, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:32736
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L66 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Food; Beverages; Cosmetics; Tobacco
    • Q11 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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