Animal welfare globally involves billions of animals with the largest welfare impacts concentrated in aquaculture and livestock in regions with least regulatory protection.
Global animal welfare requires prioritising interventions by their welfare impact per unit of effort. The largest number of animals with the poorest welfare are in aquaculture and livestock production in countries with minimal regulatory oversight. Improving welfare standards in China, South and Southeast Asia and other major producing regions would benefit more animals than any improvement in already-regulated European production. International trade policy, development assistance and consumer market power in importing countries are the primary levers available for welfare improvement at global scale. The moral case for global welfare concern is clear: all animals capable of suffering deserve consideration regardless of where they live.