The next decades will determine the welfare outcomes for billions of animals. Emerging technologies, policy shifts, and changing consumer behaviour all offer opportunities for dramatic improvement.
The trajectory of animal welfare over the next fifty years depends on decisions being made now. Alternative proteins - cultivated meat, plant-based dairy, precision fermentation - could eliminate the factory farming of most farmed animals if they reach cost parity and consumer acceptance. Policy reform in the EU and UK could dramatically raise baseline welfare standards. Wild animal welfare research may lead to interventions that reduce natural suffering at scale. The emerging generation of consumers and voters shows stronger animal concern than any previous generation. These trends are genuinely hopeful - but they require action now to accelerate.