Cellular agriculture associations at the Food Systems Pavilion of COP28 are highlighting that complementary proteins like those produced via cellular agriculture are a critical lever to deliver on climate goals and build a sustainable, equitable, and resilient future of food.
Convinced that protein diversification is a key element of an inclusive transition towards sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems, the Global Cellular Agriculture Alliance (GCAA) will host a series of dialogues on complementary proteins scheduled on the 9th and 11th of December 2023 at the Food Systems Pavilion of COP28. GCAA is a proud co-host of the Food Systems Pavilion in the diplomatic zone.
The GCAA represents the collaborative effort between the U.S.-based Alliance for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation (AMPS Innovation), the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), and Cellular Agriculture Europe, including members from more than 30 cultivated meat, seafood, and dairy companies.
Food systems are a significant contributor to the climate crisis, accounting for more than one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. And, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, many key components of biodiversity for food and agriculture -in other words, forms of life that are essential to food production- are in decline. Meeting the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals thus implies bold actions in all sectors, including on their plates, stated the alliance.
WHICH ISSUES WILL THE LEADERS DISCUSS?
Public-private partnerships and government support for accelerating the development of complementary proteins are essential. The GCAA is proud to have Chris Adamo, Danone’s Vice President of Public Affairs and Regenerative Agriculture Policy; Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, Food Systems for the Future President and CEO; Rick Duke, US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate; moderator Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank President; Niels Peter Nørring, Climate Director at the Danish Agriculture and Food Council; Sara Roversi, President of Future Food Institute; Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, CGIAR Director for Nutrition, Health, and Food Security Impact Area Platform; and the Dutch Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy Christianne van der Wal, among many other great thought leaders, to discuss:
• Harvesting Solutions: Cultivating a Sustainable Future through Methane Reduction in the Agrifood Sector
• The Diversification Tipping Point: A Look at Innovators Like Singapore, Denmark, Israel, and the Netherlands
• Cultivating Change for a Food-Secure World (in partnership with Food Tank)
• Balancing the Plate: Healthier Diets for a More Sustainable World (in partnership with Food Tank)
• How Diversification of Aquatic Food Consumption Can Help Address the Biodiversity Crisis
• Opportunities for farmers in the future of cultivated meat and seafood
CELLULAR AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF MANY CRITICAL TOOLS
“AMPS Innovation is delighted to co-sponsor the Food Systems Pavilion as part of the Global Cellular Agriculture Alliance to help support the advancement of protein diversification globally,” said Shannon Cosentino-Roush, President of AMPS Innovation. “Cellular agriculture is one of many critical tools that can help complement the global food system, both to increase food security and resilience and also to mitigate and adapt to climate challenges. We are grateful to all of the FSP partners, as together our voices are instrumental in ensuring that food systems are recognised as essential to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.”
MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
“The COP28 Presidency has wisely chosen to dedicate two full days to land use, oceans, nature, and food and agriculture systems. It has become painfully clear that changing what is on our plates is critical to mitigating climate change and achieving the sustainable development goals,” said Robert E. Jones, President of Cellular Agriculture Europe. “We are proud to join a variety of other stakeholders in the Food Systems Pavilion and look forward to highlighting the role protein diversification can play in building more resilient and sustainable food systems.”
Sandhya Sriram, President of the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture, added, “Working in synergy together as a global alliance has been pivotal in elevating the sector to the next level in terms of policy, growth, and industry-wide maturity. The APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture is related to co-host this important programming together with our counterparts in the US and EU –to highlight the importance of protein diversification in general and its relevance to Cellular Agriculture.”
