Critical overview of the implications of a global protein transition in the face of climate change: Key unknowns and research imperatives

Abstract

Current dietary protein production and consumption are depleting resources, degrading the environment, and fueling chronic diseases. These human and environmental impacts ignite intense debate on how to shift away from resource-intensive animal-based proteins. While there is significant research across disciplines on shifting supply-demand aspects, knowledge gaps remain in how to transition to optimize nutrition while reducing bidirectional climate change effects. These gaps stymy incentives and policy change to make bold food systems transformations and determine levers to invest in. Here we present a transdisciplinary overview of evidence on proteins’ environmental impacts and vulnerability of crop, livestock, and aquatic proteins to climate change. We identify critical unknowns fueling concerns surrounding transitions and propose research directions to increase the likelihood transitions will be environmentally sound and healthy, harnessing genetic crop diversity, managing agricultural landscapes sustainably, and considering cell-based alternatives and pro-equity policies that facilitate healthy choices. Implementing changes requires nuanced, regionally tailored approaches incorporating socio-behavioral, public health, nutrition, and climate science fostering effective debate and solutions promoting sustainability and health.