Wednesday, March 2, 2016

LETTERS COLUMN: The New York Times: ''Climate and Agriculture'' (regarding Bill Gates' willingness to invest in plant-based alternatives to animal agriculture as one key to ameliorating human-induced climate change

Letter TO THE EDITOR
 

Climate and Agriculture

The Good Food Institute writes about a need to create “plant-based and cultured alternatives that outcompete animal products.”
 
To the Editor:
 
Re “Bill Gates Explains How to Make Climate Progress in a World Eating Meat and Guzzling Gas” (Dot Earth blog by Andrew C Revkin, nytimes.com, Feb. 25):
 
Bill Gates’s willingness to invest in plant-based alternatives to animal agriculture as one key to ameliorating human-induced climate change is admirable, and it places him among a small minority of especially thoughtful climate change advocates.
Indeed, in a report that has received too little attention from both nonprofits and governments, the Royal Institute of International Affairs laments what it sees as a “policy vacuum” on animal agriculture, calling it the “neglected sector” with regard to climate change advocacy.
Because consumers make food choices based almost entirely on taste and convenience, creating plant-based and cultured alternatives that outcompete animal products on these two factors will yield substantial climate benefits.
 
Mr. Gates deserves plaudits for his investments and advocacy on behalf of such technologies.
 
BRUCE FRIEDRICH
 
Executive Director
Good Food Institute
Washington, DC

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