The Climate Question
The Climate Question
Is lab-grown meat better for the planet?
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June 2, 2024
26 minutes
Available for over a year
Billions of dollars have been pumped into the promise of a climate-friendly way of producing meat, but is growing a steak in a lab any better for the planet than rearing a cow on a farm?
Supporters of the idea say it will dramatically reduce the impact of livestock, which is responsible for about 15% of the world’s planet-warming gases, as well as returning huge amounts of land to nature. But studies suggest cultivating meat in a lab might actually be worse for the planet, at least in the long-run – we put both claims to the test.
Graihagh Jackson presents an update of a programme first broadcast in 2023.
Guests:
Tasneem Karodia, co-founder of Mzansi Meat, in South Africa;
John Lynch, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Oxford, in the UK;
Nick Marsh, the BBC’s Asia business correspondent, in Singapore
Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill