Population growth combined with shifting trends towards resource-intensive diets will put massive pressure on our planet's ability to feed us in the decades to come.
By 2050, the global population will reach 9.7 billion. Populations will continue to urbanize, and millions more people will join the middle class.1 Historically, as individuals gain economic means, diets shift, incorporating more resource-intensive foods like meat, dairy, and manufactured products.
A Nature meta-analysis of 57 food projection studies found that between 2010 and 2050, global food demand was expected to increase by 30–62% with climate change taken into account.2 This "food gap" is driven by a complex mix of factors, including:
- Rising population: We need to feed an additional two billion people by 2050.
- Rising incomes: Income directly correlates with demand for animal-based proteins, oils, and processed foods.
- Urbanization: Concentrated populations have increased access to supermarkets, restaurants, and fast-food chains promoting resource-intensive dietary choices.
- Globalized food systems: Technology, multinational companies, and global trade networks heavily influence dietary choices of consumers on a massive scale.
This increased demand carries environmental consequences. Inefficient agriculture exerts significant pressure on land, water, and greenhouse gas emissions. Relying solely on scaling up production using current methods risks deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and pollution, and climate change intensification.
There are multiple strategies that can contribute to closing this food gap, which we explore in the next article.