Food Systems Transformation: The Role of Animal Welfare in a Just Transition

The transformation of global food systems toward sustainability requires addressing animal welfare alongside climate, nutrition, and equity goals. Understanding the intersections helps advocates build effective coalitions.

Key Facts

The EAT-Lancet Commission found that a healthy diet for all within planetary boundaries requires significant reduction in animal product consumption
Plant-rich diets provide health, environmental, and animal welfare benefits simultaneously
Food system transformation disproportionately affects agricultural workers and rural communities who depend on current systems
Just transition frameworks in food policy must address livelihoods of those dependent on animal agriculture
Alternative protein sectors including plant-based and cultivated meat can provide employment alternatives in transition
Public procurement — school meals, hospitals, government catering — is a major lever for demand-side food system change

Welfare Considerations

Food system transformation must address animal welfare as a central rather than peripheral goal. Without explicit welfare standards, a food system transition could achieve climate targets by replacing cattle with intensive poultry — reducing emissions while increasing animal suffering. Welfare advocates must engage with the policy processes shaping food system transformation to ensure that welfare improvement is embedded in transition goals alongside sustainability. This requires building coalitions with climate, health, and equity advocates who share overlapping interests but may not prioritise animal welfare without prompting. The most durable food system changes integrate welfare with other sustainability dimensions.

What You Can Do

Engage with food system transformation policy processes to advocate for welfare as a core goal
Support organisations building coalitions between animal welfare, climate, and health advocacy communities
Advocate for public procurement standards that include high animal welfare requirements
Engage with alternative protein sector development to ensure welfare is embedded in new production systems
Connect with food system academics and advocates working on just transition frameworks to raise the welfare dimension