Animal Welfare: Global Progress and Future Challenges

Global animal welfare has improved significantly in some areas while facing new challenges from scale, climate change, and emerging production systems.

Key Facts

EU cage-free egg transitions, broiler welfare standards, and antibiotic reduction represent significant progress
Global farmed animal numbers continue to increase, meaning per-animal improvements can be outpaced by scale
Climate change is creating new welfare challenges for wild and farmed animals through heat stress and habitat change
Alternative proteins including cultivated meat and precision fermentation offer potential to reduce animal suffering at scale
International welfare standards through OIE and trade agreements are increasingly influential in global production

Welfare Considerations

The welfare of animals globally is a story of progress in some areas alongside persistent and growing challenges in others. Every welfare improvement achieved is valuable, and the work of advocates, researchers, farmers, and policy makers translates directly into reduced suffering. The scale of the challenge - billions of animals affected - requires both systemic thinking about the most impactful interventions and continued attention to individual animal needs.

What You Can Do

Support organisations working on global animal welfare improvement at scale
Engage with policy processes including trade agreements that affect animal welfare internationally
Learn about the most impactful welfare improvements available through effective giving research
Apply welfare principles in your own life through dietary choices and consumer behaviour
Contribute to a culture that values animal wellbeing as a moral priority