SINGAPORE — The shift towards plant-based proteins may profit food safety, the chief sustainability officer of Singapore’s state investor stated Tuesday.
Steve Howard of Temasek stated round 18% of energy come from livestock, however 80% of agricultural land is used for cattle. In some markets, 80% of grain is fed to livestock, he instructed CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.” Those assets can be diverted away from livestock farming if consumption patterns change.
“More plant-based protein, more alternative proteins — that can really build in food security,” he stated.
Howard stated excessive warmth waves are affecting food manufacturing in India and estimated that grain shops will solely be in a position to maintain the world for round 73 days, simply “a couple of months of food security for the entire world.” He stated folks with decrease incomes are particularly weak to food worth will increase.
“We have to really focus on diversification,” he stated. Using trendy expertise in agriculture can even be good for food safety.
Green funding
Separately, Howard stated cash will nonetheless be invested in inexperienced expertise regardless of recession fears.
“You look for … where are the long-term value creators in a recession, don’t you?” he stated. “People are still looking to deploy capital in that environment.”
The tailwinds are sturdy due to a “virtuous circle” of recent applied sciences which can be performing properly and turning into extra inexpensive, he stated, citing electrical autos, various protein and photo voltaic vitality.
He stated photo voltaic vitality is shifting at “an extraordinary pace of expansion,” and the identical may occur for vitality storage and different renewable sources.
Meanwhile, the coverage atmosphere is robust and there is buyer demand for inexperienced options, he stated.
“If you go three, four years ago, most of the capital markets were asleep at the wheel on climate, not really doing things meaningfully. Now, capital markets are queuing up,” he stated.
Companies and governments have doubled down on sustainability and local weather targets, Howard stated.
“The tailwinds are turning into a hurricane,” he stated.