Perspective Sustainable Protein; Ryan Katz-Rosene, Andrew Heffernan, and Anil Arora

PERSPECTIVE SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL ANIMALS , PLANTS , AND LABORATORIES , OH MY ! PERSPECTIVES ON SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN TRANSITION Ryan is an Associate Professor at the University of , based in the School Studies and affiliated with the Institute . Off campus , Ryan helps out on his regenerative farm near Wakefield , Andrew is a candidate in Political Science at the University of . He is a commissioning International Relations , and sits on the boards of directors for RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 769

the International Studies Association Canada , and the Studies Association of Canada . Anil holds an in Environmental the University of , where his research focused on the challenges and opportunities of an environmentally motivated meat tax in Canada for climate change mitigation . Learning Outcomes After reading and discussing this text , students should be able to Describe the diverse array of foods and the wide range of existing protein production and tion practices . Explain how the context of a specific protein food duction profoundly shapes its environmental impact . Situate contemporary discourses about protein tion in relation to three core visions of a sustainable future . INTRODUCTION Our world is changing rapidly , and the human relationship with essential macronutrient in our changing rapidly too . Today , if you buy beef in Europe , there is a decent chance it is from cattle raised in Brazil ( or from European cattle fed soy grown in Brazil ) a country with troublingly high rates of deforestation . If you purchase almonds , chances are the nuts 770 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN

were grown in California , where drought is putting major strain on the water table . Order a Beyond Meat burger at a fast food joint in North America , chances are it was put together at a factory in Missouri using protein isolates from peas grown in the Canadian Prairies , where high rates of herbicide and use are degrading regional grassland ecosystems . ust about all types of protein foods are implicated in various tal challenges , be it climate change , land and water use , or various forms of pollution . Protein has become the unwitting focus of a range of sustainability debates , in part because it comes in many different forms , and the of its production and consumption are so varied . Whereas a century ago , most humans derived their from animal , plant , and insect sources produced or gathered in ( mostly ) localized , traditional , today the situation is much more complex . innovations have enabled humans to produce proteins that are far more synthesized and processed than meat , nuts , and legumes we now have novel products like proteins that are combined with other ingredients to look , feel , and taste like meat , as well as animal meats that are produced without animals at all . Moreover , industrialized farms have increased the distance between food producers and consumers , which , when combined with increasing global trade flows , has created a truly global diet . In recent years , a number of institutions committed to able development have advocated for a global protein tion , which generally entails a shift from diets centred on proteins to diets centred on , or other novel proteins ( like meats , insects , The proposed protein transition is not only a response to the need for an environmentally sustainable food future , but also to the need for a range of interconnected sustainable RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 771

objectives implicated by protein production and sumption , including improving food security and tackling malnutrition . In some wealthy countries there has been a noted trend toward increasing protein intake ( in part , as people try to steer away from processed sugars and carbohydrates ) The Dietary Guidelines suggest healthy adults should consume grams of protein per kilogram of daily , and many in the Global North now consume more than that . As part of the protein transition , therefore , some people call for reductions in protein consumption in countries where it is far above recommended intake values , with corresponding increases in parts of the world where current protein consumption is deficient . Generally speaking , protein foods are more to produce than or novel they tend to require more land and water , and result in higher greenhouse gas emissions , per kilogram of protein . There is also growing concern and awareness about mal welfare in protein food production . Moreover , much of the nutrition literature suggests that practicing diets results in positive health outcomes . Nevertheless , as hinted above , the global protein food system is complex , muddied by different underlying protein production . There are also various definitions of what constitutes efficient production and further differences within and economic ties regarding the sector . These differences are by diverse culinary cultures , and even different interpretations of the nutritional value of different protein foods and their nutrients ( the other vitamins , and fats that are embedded in foods besides protein ) In other words , we see a range of perspectives and disagreements around the world about what actually constitutes a healthy and 772 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN

sustainable diet , particularly when it comes to the role that foods ought to play . As a key example , in 2019 , the World Health Organization was compelled to withdraw its support for the Commission Planetary Health Diet , after some national representatives to the UN argued that the diet could negatively affect people health and livelihoods . It is thus not surprising that we often hear contradictory about the future of sustainable protein . On one end of the spectrum , the livestock industry communicates messages about how they are maximizing efficiency and introducing new that enable meat and dairy to be produced in mentally friendly ways . See this ad from Dairy . On the other end , vegetarian and vegan diets have been proposed as solutions to the current climate crisis , leading to promises by food tech about the marvel of meat , and how it will one day replace the protein we get from animals entirely . See this video clip from Eater . Situated somewhere in between , many recent documentaries about regenerative culture speak of the potential to produce protein foods while sequestering carbon and regenerating ecosystems , inspiring interest in , locally sourced , and ethically produced meat . See the trailer for Kiss the Ground . CURRENT DEBATES The world of protein is muddied by different , and objectives . It thus becomes difficult to say whether a given protein food is necessarily good or bad , because there are so many underlying contextual factors to consider . As an ple , beef and dairy are typically identified as a problem for the climate , biodiversity , food security , and health , because nants ( the suborder of species from which we derive beef and dairy ) produce a lot of methane and use up a lot of land relative RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 773

to other types of food production . As well , red meat contains fats , which have been associated with a higher incidence of disease ( Nevertheless , there are also various in which beef or dairy may be understood as useful in the effort to tackle climate change and biodiversity decline , improve food security , and improve health . Some forms of cattle instance , in and in some rational grazing been shown to have high rates of soil carbon sequestration , and may enable the sharing of food production with land . Because eat grass , they can support food in marginal lands that are not conducive to crop tion . And because ruminant food is relatively and incorporates high quality complete proteins , a small quantity of it can pack a significant nutritional punch , which can be helpful in areas of the world facing nutritional deficiencies . All this to say , the example of beef and dairy alone points to an underlying complexity that may shape a range of competing about the most ideal future for protein , depending on what parameters are assumed for sustainability in the first place . Here We identify three starkly different visions of the future of sustainable protein . Repairing Protein First , there are those who seek to repair the existing problems relating to the protein food system through a variety of approaches grounded in technology and modernization . This vision emphasizes technological solutions at the level of food production , rather than solutions seeking to change individual behaviours with food . Proponents of this vision acknowledge that the conventional protein system has some sustainability challenges , but do not feel these problems are insurmountable . Instead , this group sees protein transition 774 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN

as incorporating the best of science and innovation to make our existing practices around protein more able . These include things like using feed additives to minimize methane emissions from livestock , developing genetically products for protein crops ( requiring fewer inputs ) as well as various efficiencies and innovations to minimize the energy and resource inputs . Those in this camp are skeptical of the idea that a majority of the world will willingly embrace diets . Similarly , they accuse proponents of the local , organic food movement as being , who offer false solutions that can not feed the worlds growing lation . The best way forward , they say , is to push industrial culture forward , fixing those parts of the system that require repair , while overall benefiting from a globalized and highly modernized protein food system . Replacing Protein Another approach seeks to overhaul the protein system in a more comprehensive way . Rather than simply improve upon the of protein production , those in this group advocate replacing our typical proteins sourced from animals with various forms of proteins and novel protein products instead . This includes pulses ( such as lentils , beans , and peas ) but also synthesized products such as the meats noted above . Beyond these , some within this camp also support lab grown or meat grown in a lab , without many of the harmful produced on farms raising livestock . Yet another approach that many in this camp support is ( insect eating ) in Western tries , which is already a much more common practice in much of the rest of the world . Those in this school of thought are cal of the extent to which greening can truly be accomplished in the animal agriculture sector . They argue that a diet featuring a wide array of proteins is perfectly capable of RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 775

all the essential amino acids required for human ment . A radical reduction in animal agriculture , they say , would free up land , which could in turn support biodiversity and amounts of carbon sequestration . Protein transition , then , should accordingly focus primarily on swapping out animal for equivalent alternatives wherever possible . Restoring Protein The third main approach to the protein sustainability problem consists of restoring a more holistic balance between humans and the food they eat , particularly in highly industrialized tries . This camp is concerned with the growing gap between people plates and the sites of food production . This has led to the of agriculture and the unsustainable , unhealthy diets centred on overly processed , nutritionally void and culturally inappropriate foods that could come from where on the planet . Restore advocates place an emphasis on maximizing biodiversity and natural resilience , and using graphically appropriate methods in food production processes . Such proponents share beliefs around the tant role that animals play in and complimentary food systems for instance , poultry and pigs can eat food scraps or insects ( helping to reduce waste and supporting ural pest management ) while can help to fertilize pastures or cropland while providing meat and dairy . A diet centered on an array of whole , fresh , localized foods is also interpreted as the best way to support the objectives of food security , community development , and balanced nutrition . For proponents of this vision , protein transition is about ing production and consumption practices to ways that are inherently sustainable buying locally and seasonally available products and using regenerative techniques that sequester soil and use animals in ways that compliment food production . See the Future of Protein video project . this 776 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN

point is deeply skeptical of the claims made by proponents of meats , arguing that such lab meats are unnatural , unnecessary , and part of a push to further the food sector . DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS While there seems to be a concerted effort to embrace some form of protein transition within the context of sustainable ment , all three pathways characterized above interpret transition in different ways . As we have shown , protein itself conjures up different relations for different people , and so the best pathway forward manifests itself differently in different places and spaces . These competing sets of interests , desires , and are by the different relationships among people around the world , based on food cultures , historical , and political economic . Food is such a central part of every human life , and of every society and culture , that any major shifts raise difficult questions of how , why , and even whether they should be carried out . So where do these complex challenges and choices leave us ?

Should we all go vegan ?

Or is there a benefit to keeping some animals in the food system ?

Are there benefits to leaving animal foods in the global diet , given the different access to paired nutrients and complete , useable proteins ?

Estimates of the number of people worldwide who are involved in some form of pastoralism or animal husbandry range from 100 to 200 million . What would stopping the production and consumption of mal products mean for them ?

Furthermore , if we were to start eating entirely meat in place of meat , would this mean that production would be centred evermore in the hands of a very small number of food producing ?

RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 777 For some , the big question is about how to achieve a nutritionally balanced and tasty vegan diet that still supports local food . For others it is about defining culturally appropriate ings for diets . For others still it is about finding ways to make protein foods as sustainable as possible through improvements in the wheel , not reinventing it . There are yet others who focus on the need to food for communities in ways that are resilient and that do not degrade agricultural ecosystems , with animal proteins to be an essential part of the larger farm ecosystem . Overall , we find major benefits to what could be called protein plurality idea that all three of the protein pathways above are simultaneously progressing at once . Such a headed approach may seem contradictory , but the world of protein is complex , and a diverse set of ways is one way of making sure we do not put all of our eggs in one basket ! Moreover , a plurality of approaches to protein transition is a better fit for a world ing an extremely diverse set of preferred practices and objectives on protein , not to mention a world featuring a diverse array of foods in the first place . CONCLUSION It is clear that the world faces a great number of challenges in relation to the protein food system . As it stands , growing are demanding more food , and specifically more protein , as large numbers of people continue to exit poverty around the world . This has created a multifaceted sustainability crisis that has led to a number of proposed solutions that can be said to fall within three pathways ( which we have called repair , replace , and restore ) It seems at this point that the world is pursuing all three paths at once , and we see this as both a natural human response 778 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN

as well as a resilient approach that is most likely to achieve the variety of outcomes sought by . It may just be possible to envision a future world in which everyone can have their eat it too . Discussion Questions Which vision of a sustainable protein future ( Repairing Protein , Replacing protein , Restoring Protein ) do you find most compelling , and why ?

With some exceptions , most experts agree that the share of animal proteins in the diets of economies is now too high , and should be reduced for global sustainability . What kinds of policies might help bring about a reduction of animal proteins , and what kinds of challenges might such policies face ?

A considerable number of people around the world are employed in animal protein food duction . The , for instance , notes that stock contributes to the livelihoods of billion poor people in developing countries . By contrast , in the there are more than half a million workers in the meat industry . If we take it as a given that we need to reduce the number of stock animals around the world to support , what might this mean for those workers ?

Do we need to think about transitioning workers from the livestock sector to other sectors ( retraining workers in large meat processing plants or creating incentives and training to a switch from livestock rearing to other types of agricultural production ) RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 779

When it becomes available in grocery stores and restaurants , would you be willing to substitute your current meat consumption with meat ?

If not , what reservations do you have ?

Exercises The Future of Group Discussion Watch the Future of Protein video and , working in small groups , consider the direction ( you see for the future of protein . Is one of the approaches discussed in this chapter more prevalent than ers ?

Is one approach more likely to persist than the others moving forward ?

Is there room for all three to persist at once ?

How do you think these pathways will change in the coming decades ?

Marketing Protein , Pair , Share In recent years , food producers and restaurants have shifted their marketing strategies , recognizing that consumers have become more attentive to the broader environmental , social , and ethical consequences of their food choices . Can you recall food that used terms like sustainable , regenerative , or to sell their protein food products ?

With a partner , discuss how the use of these terms your attitudes towards the food products being advertised . How are your attitudes similar or different ?

Be prepared to share your insights with the larger group . Tracking Daily Protein 780 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN Over a week , keep a journal to track the foods you eat , being mindful of the factors your decisions and how much information you have about where and how the foods were produced . For your first entry , reflect on the types of foods you and your family consume . What types of foods ( etc . do you consume the the least ?

What factors typically your choices ( price , convenience , taste ) both at the grocery store and at restaurants ?

Each day , document all the foods you eat and answer the following questions How does your food consumption compare with the recommended daily intake of protein ( in Canada , for instance , it is recommended to consume grams per kilogram of body weight per day ) Did you acquire all the essential amino acids today ?

What about common paired nutrients ( like fibre , vitamin , iron , zinc , fats ) How did your intake of foods your intake of common paired nutrients ?

What factors your choice of foods today ?

Do you know where and how those foods were produced ?

At the end of the week , look back through your journal and on your food consumption patterns . Did anything surprise you ?

Additional Resources RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 781 , 2018 . Meat Is Not the new Tobacco , and Shouldn Be Taxed The Conversation . 15 , 2021 . Duncan , and Ashton . 2020 . Insects , weed and Meat Could Be the Foods of the The Conversation . 15 , 2021 . Dunne , Prater and . Goodman . 2020 . Interactive What Is the Climate Impact of Eating Meat and Dairy ?

15 , 2021 . Ripple , and . Mueller . 2021 . The Carbon Opportunity Cost of Food tion on Nature Sustainability ( and Martin ( 2020 . Green Meat ?

Sustaining Animals , Eaters , and the Planet . Montreal Press . 2020 . Is Meat Good News for Animals ?

The Conversation . Accessed July 15 , 2021 . Stanley , Hancock , and . Raven . 2020 . Ecosystem Impacts and Productive Capacity of a Livestock Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems , Hanson , and . 2019 . Creating a Sustainable Food World Resources Institute , July . Lang , Garnett , et al . 2019 . Food in the The Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food The Lancet 393 ( 10170 ) 782 SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN

Wilson , 2019 . Protein Mania The Rich World New Diet The Guardian , January . RYAN ANDREW AND ANIL 783