European funding for high CO₂ emission technologies

4.6.2023

Question for written answer  E-001778/2023
to the Commission
Rule 138
Alessandra Basso (ID)

A study authored by Drs D. Risner, Y. Kim, C. Nguyen, J.B. Siegel and E.S. Spang, published in the biological sciences journalbioRxiv, explores the environmental impact of 'lab-produced meat'. Derived from animal tissue, this meat is being touted as a substitute for livestock products and thus presents a serious threat to Italy’s agricultural sector. However, according to the study, this animal cell-based meat, were it to be produced on an industrial scale, could lead to CO₂emissions that are anywhere from 4 to 25 times higher than those produced by conventional livestock farming.

The Commission provided funding worth USD 2 million in 2021 to Nutreco and Mosa Meat, two companies which operate in the ‘lab-grown’ meat sector. Though they claim to be striving for greater sustainability, they have never proved that these products are more environmentally friendly, which the above study has now shown to be false.

In the light of the above:

• 1.can the Commission clarify whether funding animal cell-based meat production is consistent with its climate neutrality goals, which include cutting CO₂emissions by 55 % by 2050?
• 2.does it not believe that new rules, different to the existing rules governing novel foods, are needed for lab-grown meat production?

Submitted:4.6.2023