The Changing Markets Foundation has published a report claiming that the global meat and dairy industries are “actively derailing climate progress”.
The ‘Dangerous Distractions’ report was said to draw on analysis of recordings and conversations from the World Meat Congress and COP30, and claimed that there was a “coordinated effort between major livestock players to downplay emissions, attack independent science and frame rising meat production as compatible with climate goals”.
It went on to say that COP30 saw a “strong showing” from agribusiness representatives, lobbyists and allies, but said that “industry narratives positioning meat as healthy or part of wellness trends were pushed by prominent influencers” in the lead up to COP30.
Changing Markets said that at the World Meat Congress, several speakers emphasised the importance of the animal agriculture industry telling its story, which it said was a result of meat industry feeling “threatened by the evidence and scrutiny of its climate impact”.
The report stated that the meat sector was well represented at the World Meat Congress, saying that recordings of the conference showed a greater focus on “defending the importance of livestock than directly addressing the significant climate impacts from this growing industry”. It claimed that the industry saw its climate impact as “more of a messaging and communication issue”, rather than a scientific fact and a problem that needs to be urgently addressed.
Phil Hadley, secretary general at the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), commented: “The recent report misrepresents the discussions held at the IMS World Meat Congress and presents a one-dimensional, biased perspective.
“The event had a range of high-quality speakers where we discussed the role of livestock in providing essential high-quality protein to meet the needs of a growing global population in a responsible way, recognising the role of livestock in the environment. What was clearly articulated was that the sector needs to produce protein in a sustainable way and apply the latest science and technology alongside more accurate measurement metrics to have a meaningful debate and demonstrate progress.
“In addition, the comments around controlling the narrative relate to the industry more clearly articulating the steps it is taking to achieve aspirational goals and highlight success and not simply about drowning out challenge – the authors of the report portray this differently to reflect their own bias and agenda. The industry is not hiding from this debate, which was reflected in the World Meat Congress programme and ongoing engagement across both regional and global platforms.
“The sector has a key role to play in delivering solutions to sustainable livestock transformation and will continue to make legitimate contributions to the public dialogue on future food systems.”
Report “disingenuous” to British farms
A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) stated: “The report claims that there is ‘a coordinated effort between major livestock players to downplay emissions, attack independent science and frame rising meat production as compatible with climate goals’.
“Once again, an NGO is using the production systems favoured by some countries as a means to smear an entire industry.
“Changing Market’s views are shameful and highly disingenuous to hard working British family farms and the processing industry all of whom are actively involved in reducing emissions through a wide range of highly sustainable farming practices.
“Changing Market’s view is little more than the same old badly constructed howl at the moon. We can see through it; Governments and their agriculture and economic policies can see through it and so do consumers.”
