Plant-Based Alternatives May Cut Emissions More than Any Other Green Investments

When measured by the market value of averted CO2 emissions per dollar spent in mitigation initiatives, investing in the sector has one of the highest effects on decarbonization.

Plant-Based Diet Curbs Food Production Emissions — Photo: roam in color / Unsplash

Particularly Challenging

It might be challenging to determine which regions make sense to increase your profits for the future when the market is now swinging like a roller coaster. Have you considered investing in plant-based options?

According to research from the international consulting company Boston Consulting Group (BCG), investing in plant-based alternatives saves significantly more greenhouse gases (GHGs) per dollar than many other investment choices. More good news: switching from a meat-based diet to one based on plants prevents the destruction of forests for the production of pasture and fodder, as well as the production of the powerful greenhouse gas methane by cattle and sheep.

Benefits of Plant-Based Substitutes

BCG polled more than 3,700 people in the US, China, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates. It was discovered that if protein alternatives positively influenced the environment, 30% of customers would switch to those products. At least some of the alternative protein products that consumers had tried were well-liked, according to about 90% of respondents.

How do developing and expanding the production of meat and dairy substitutes compare to other environmentally friendly technologies?

Compared to investing in green cement technology, there will be a 3-fold increase in greenhouse gas savings.
seven times more than green structures
11 times greater than vehicles with no emissions

Also Read : Artificial Photosynthesis May Help Combat Food Shortage by Producing Food Without Sunlight

Investment Growth

UK-Based Meat Alternative Company Goes Plastic Neutral — Fresh tempeh at Jakarta Market. Traditionally, tempeh is wrapped in banana leaves (Wikimedia Commons). A meat alternative company that uses tempeh has gone plastic neutral, making them the world’s first plastic neutral meat-alternative company. Wikimedia Commons

From 2019 to 2021, $5 billion more will be invested in alternative proteins than the previous year's $1 billion.

Alternatives currently make up 2% of all meat, egg, and dairy products marketed, but according to research, if growth patterns continue, that percentage will increase to 11% by 2035.
The redesign of the food system includes protein transformation as one component. The shift is expected to influence every stakeholder throughout the value chain, and many of them will discover the significant potential to help create a sustainable food system.

The total increase in investments in alternative proteins is consistent with a worldwide focus on sustainable investing, which is growing 3 to 5 times faster than traditional investing and focuses on climate crisis solutions.

Even though it only offers 18% of the calories and 37% of the protein that humans need, the production of meat and dairy products utilizes 83 % of cropland. It accounts for 60% of the greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.

Renewable Goals

By 2025, Europe and North America will consume the most meat, after which traditional meat consumption will begin to decline.

How can investments in plant-based alternatives impact the world's decarbonization objectives? The greatest returns on investment for each dollar spent on mitigation measures are measured in terms of the market value of averted CO2e emissions. The impact of capital employed (IoCE) refers to this. Alternative protein investments result in IoCE that is orders of magnitude higher than comparable decarbonization investments in other high-emitting economic sectors, like transportation or buildings, can accomplish.

Scientists have shown that abstaining from meat and dairy products is the single most effective approach to lessen your influence on the environment. Significant changes in meat consumption are required in wealthy countries to address the climate catastrophe.

Food System

The food system is responsible for 26% of the world's current GHG emissions. The major GHG producer in the food system, animal agriculture, contributes 15% of the world's emissions, comparable to the transportation industry's emissions. We will see a global reduction of 0.85 gigaton of CO2 equivalent by 2030 if we continue on our current course to achieve an 11 percent share for alternative proteins by 2035.