Listen "Is lab-grown meat better for the planet?"
Episode Synopsis
Billions of dollars have been pumped into the promise of a climate-friendly way of producing meat, but is growing a steak in a lab any better for the planet than rearing a cow on a farm?
Supporters of the idea say it will dramatically reduce the impact of livestock, which is responsible for about 15% of the world’s planet-warming gases, as well as returning huge amounts of land to nature. But studies suggest cultivating meat in a lab might actually be worse for the planet, at least in the long-run – we put both claims to the test.
Graihagh Jackson presents an update of a programme first broadcast in 2023.Guests:
Tasneem Karodia, co-founder of Mzansi Meat, in South Africa;
John Lynch, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Oxford, in the UK;
Nick Marsh, the BBC’s Asia business correspondent, in SingaporeProducer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill
Supporters of the idea say it will dramatically reduce the impact of livestock, which is responsible for about 15% of the world’s planet-warming gases, as well as returning huge amounts of land to nature. But studies suggest cultivating meat in a lab might actually be worse for the planet, at least in the long-run – we put both claims to the test.
Graihagh Jackson presents an update of a programme first broadcast in 2023.Guests:
Tasneem Karodia, co-founder of Mzansi Meat, in South Africa;
John Lynch, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Oxford, in the UK;
Nick Marsh, the BBC’s Asia business correspondent, in SingaporeProducer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: China Collins
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Production Coordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill
More episodes of the podcast The Climate Question
Can Mumbai cope with a changing monsoon?
20/10/2025
Why don’t we use more geothermal energy?
28/09/2025
How does extreme heat affect pregnancy?
21/09/2025
Will there be a solar power boom in Africa?
08/09/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.