12-14 million people are currently at risk of acute food insecurity across some areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, because of an ongoing, multi-season drought, warns the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. If rains continue to fail, the number of highly food insecure people could rise to 15-20 million. According to the Addis Standard, increasing numbers of livestock are succumbing to the drought, and pastoralists are being forced to travel further to find water and pasture.

This paper argues that animal-source foods are unjustly stigmatised as being harmful for health and the environment, and that nutritionism - focusing on the individual components of food rather than its broader benefits - is overly reductive. The paper criticises the use of narrow metrics such as emissions per kg of food, and instead calls for “wholesome and nourishing diets” rooted in values such as “conviviality and shared traditions”.

This report, prepared for the European Public Health Alliance by Cóilín Nunan of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, argues that changing animal husbandry practices to improve animal welfare is essential for reducing the routine use of antibiotics on farms.

This paper quantifies the climate impacts of phasing out livestock production globally. It finds that ceasing animal agriculture could provide half of the net emissions reductions required to limit climate warming to 2°C, and argues that large cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from food production are likely to be necessary alongside emissions reductions in the transport and energy sectors. Both authors are shareholders of Impossible Foods, which is developing alternatives to livestock.

The fourth edition of the Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index assesses 60 of the world’s largest protein producers, covering beef, pork, poultry and eggs, dairy and aquaculture, against several environmental, social and governance factors, including climate, biodiversity, water use, antibiotics, working conditions and alternatives to animal protein.

This report from the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy looks at the emissions of the 20 largest meat and dairy companies based in Europe. These 20 companies combined are responsible for emissions equivalent to 131% of total emissions produced by the Netherlands, according to the report’s estimates. Only four of the companies report their total supply chain emissions, and only three plan to reduce their total supply chain emissions, although 10 have announced climate targets. 

This special issue of the journal Animal addresses scientific and technical approaches for reducing the environmental impacts of intensive and semi-extensive livestock production systems, plus challenges and trends over the next few decades.

This video from German animation studio Kurzgesagt takes a balanced look at the debates around the environmental impacts of meat. It draws on some TABLE resources including Grazed and Confused (our report on the question of soil carbon sequestration by grazing livestock) and our explainer Soy: food, feed, and land use change. Kurzegesagt’s video We lied to you… and we’ll do it again is also worth a watch for an overview of how they balance simplification and accuracy when communicating complex topics.

This report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics examines the social and ethical issues that could arise from applying genome editing to farmed animals. While genome editing could help address some food systems challenges, for example by giving animals greater resistance to some diseases, it also may lead to less attention being paid to animal welfare.