- This event has passed.
June 18 @ 10:00 - 16:00
£12 – £24
BRLSI is currently running a series of one-day events on sustainability policy. These are focused on ‘Fault Lines’ between alternative approaches to net zero where it isn’t yet entirely clear what will be the best thing to do. Each meeting considers just one of these Fault Lines and brings a panel of experts to discuss the way forward. The second of these events is about sustainable eating.
The Faultline is about the desirability or otherwise of manufactured ‘meat-alternative’ foods. It is generally agreed that animal farming is a major source of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change, and that it would be beneficial to reduce the number of animals, especially cattle, on British farms. But what would people eat? Not everyone wishes to be vegetarian or vegan, and so we must expect that there will be a future shift from real meat to palatable and nutritious meat-alternatives made from plants or microbial proteins. Even insect proteins are being considered. On the other hand, will such alternatives provide a proper balance of protein and other nutrients? This is especially important for children. Moreover, these meat-alternatives will necessarily be manufactured in laboratories or factories, and there is currently much concern over the adverse health consequences of ‘ultra-processed foods’ (UPFs). And in the end, do we really want to eat food that is not ‘natural’?
The Faultlines #2 meeting will bring together a number of UK experts to discuss the pros and cons of meat-alternative sources of protein.
They include the well-known commentator in the media on food, farming and food security, Professor Tim Lang from City St George’s, University of London, who will introduce the issues and offer his own opinions on the way forward. Mark Lynas is an author, speaker, podcaster and campaigner. He also acts as science advisor with the 74-country Climate Vulnerable Forum, and is Head of Policy with the pro-science environmental campaign network WePlanet. He will present the case that it is essential to avoidance of climate breakdown that that there is extensive take-up of meat alternatives. Another important figure at the meeting will be Dr Tamsin Blaxter from the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food at Oxford University. She will focus specifically on the requirement to get dietary proteins right.
But what about the meat replacements themselves? What are they, and are they safe? Professor Stuart Reynolds(University of Bath) will talk about plant-based meat-alternatives, and will assess whether they really do permit fewer greenhouse gas emissions than real meat. Professor Marianne Ellis from the University of Bath will argue that the best solution to the meat substitutes problem will be to grow cultured animal cells in industrial scale laboratories. On the other hand, Dr Daniel Amor from the University of Bristol will argue that mass-reared Insects can be an important protein source for human food and animal feed. But will people really eat them? Erik Millstone (Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex): will talk about ultraprocessed foods and how they are (or aren’t) currently regulated.
All of this will be discussed by a panel of other experts, who will also answer questions. Its members will includeProfessor Jennie MacDiarmid, who is Director for the Interdisciplinary Centre for Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing at the University of Aberdeen) and Dustin Benton, now a consultant at Forefront Advisors. Dustin previously worked at Defra, where he was Chief Analytical Advisor to Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy, and led on climate and renewables at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
The event will include a provided lunch, mostly conventional food, though samples of meat and dairy replacement foods, including insect protein, will be available to try (participation not obligatory!).