Abstracts - Environnement

This article explores the scientific, technical, ethical and social issues related to the production of cell-based foods, such as “cultured meat”. Based on FAO and WHO publications, it identifies key research gaps, especially in the social sciences. It also emphasizes the need for neutral, comparable, and accessible data to support informed decision-making by stakeholders.

According to life cycle assessment (LCA), meat from ruminant species has a higher environmental impact per kg of protein than meat from monogastric species. Conversely, the framework of ecosystem services (ES) indicates that ruminant farming systems can provide higher levels of regulating ES (e.g. water purification). We applied both approaches to twelve contrasting meat production systems (six ruminant, six monogastric). The LCA was applied using two ‘functional units’: i) the quantity of protein produced (kg) and ii) the land area used to produce the meat (m²/year). Our results confirm that, per kg of protein, ruminant systems emit more greenhouse gases and consume more energy than monogastric systems, but the opposite is observed of land area. Ruminant systems also provide more regulating ES, thanks to their grasslands. Our study reveals that LCA and ES approaches can converge or diverge depending on the functional unit used.

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly enteric methane (CH₄) from cattle, is a key challenge in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The Methane 2030 program (2023–2028) addresses this issue by pursuing a 30% reduction in CH₄ emissions from French cattle farming within ten years, while maintaining milk and meat production levels. Combining a network of experimental farms and commercial herds, the program uses multiple measurement and estimation methods to develop reference data and identify effective low-emission strategies. Several levers are explored, including feeding practices, nutritional additives, genetic improvement, and herd management innovations. Coordinated by a consortium of industry, research, and development partners, Methane 2030 will deliver an integrated “toolbox” for emission mitigation. Built around the CAP’2ER® assessment tool, genomic selection, and livestock advisory services, this toolbox will provide practical and science-based solutions to support sustainable, low-emission cattle production systems in France.

In 2022, the Dublin Declaration on the societal role of livestock farming encouraged animal scientists to alert policymakers and the public to the importance of basing dietary recommendations and promoting an image of livestock farming on sound scientific evidence. In October 2024, animal, environment and social scientists renewed and deepened their commitment by publishing the Denver Call to Action https://www.dublin-declaration.org/fr/lappel-a-action-de-denver at the Second International Summit on the Societal Role of Meat and Livestock, where current scientific knowledge about livestock farming was presented in a synthetic manner. This call is addressed to policymakers worldwide to commit to plurality and rigor in evidence-based decision-making.

The Dublin Declaration on the Societal Role of Livestock Farming encouraged scientists in the field to alert policy-makers and the public to the importance of basing dietary recommendations and promoting an image of livestock farming on sound scientific evidence. They do this conscientiously, even if they become the target of militant campaigns aimed at discrediting disturbing scientific voices. Certainly, divergent views have been expressed on the best way to implement scientific findings, or on the optimum nature or size of future livestock systems. However, there is a firm consensus on the crucial importance of maintaining rigorous scientific approaches for an informed debate on livestock farming. This context prompted animal scientists to renew their commitment by publishing the Denver Call to Action. This was done on the occasion of the second International Summit on the Societal Role of Meat and Livestock in Denver in October 2024, where scientific knowledge about livestock farming was presented. This call is addressed to political decision-makers around the world to commit to plurality and rigor in evidence-based decision-making. Meeting the colossal challenge of feeding the world's populations while minimizing environmental damage will only be possible through the transparent application of scientific rigor, avoiding hubris, presumption and dogmatism.

With rising feed prices and sustainability being the watchword, it's time to think about ways to conserve resources, especially feed. As the largest cost item on livestock farms (60%), feed is a good way to make farms more self-sufficient and/or to reduce costs. By-products from the agri-food industry that can be used in animal feed seem to be a promising way to feed ruminants at a regional level, especially as such a sector is likely to be part of a circular economy approach. By-products from plant production, especially fruit and vegetables, have a particularly high potential for use in animal rations. Many other types of residues from processing industries could also be used, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.