Lab-Grown Meat More Costly for Environment, Study Finds

New research has raised doubts over whether lab-grown meat could be a greener alternative for the planet than conventional meat produced from livestock.

Scientists at the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, found the carbon footprint of lab-grown, or “cultivated” meat, could be up to 25 times worse for the climate than meat produced by raising and slaughtering farm animals (PDF).

Food scientist Derrick Risner and colleagues assessed the environmental impact of near-term animal cell-based meat (ACBM), or “cultured meat”, production.