The Welfare of Animals in Emerging Economies

Rapid economic development in emerging economies brings both welfare threats and opportunities for improvement.

Key Facts

Meat consumption grows rapidly as incomes rise in emerging economies — driving intensive farming expansion
Animal welfare legislation is less developed in most emerging economies than in wealthy countries
Some emerging economies are leapfrogging older welfare standards by adopting best practices directly
China enacted new animal welfare provisions in recent years reflecting changing public attitudes

Welfare Considerations

Emerging economies face a welfare inflection point — rapid economic development is driving meat consumption growth and intensive farming expansion, creating welfare risks at scale. However, the trajectory is not inevitable. Some emerging economies have adopted higher welfare standards from the outset rather than replicating the industrial farming mistakes of wealthy countries. China's recent animal welfare policy developments reflect public attitude changes that offer an opportunity to prevent welfare problems before they scale. International cooperation supporting welfare-positive development paths represents a high-leverage global welfare strategy.

What You Can Do

Support international development programs that include animal welfare components
Engage with the global dimension of animal welfare as incomes and meat consumption grow
Support organizations working on welfare policy in rapidly developing economies
Advocate for international trade agreements that include animal welfare provisions