Sustainable Protein Consumption and Transition Strategies

The global demand for protein is exerting unprecedented pressure on environmental, health and social systems. Sustainable protein consumption aims to rebalance dietary patterns away from resource-intensive animal sources towards more diversified portfolios incorporating plant-based, microbial and cultured alternatives. Transition strategies span three interlinked narratives. The consumer narrative emphasises behavioural interventions, dietary guidelines and social marketing to encourage reductions in animal protein intake and uptake of alternative sources. The techno-centred narrative focuses on innovations in production systems, such as precision fermentation, cellular agriculture and insect farming, to lower environmental footprints and enhance nutritional quality. The socio-technological narrative integrates these approaches within broader food-system transformations, addressing policy frameworks, supply-chain realignments and equity considerations. Effective change requires coordinated action across scales, tailored to cultural contexts and underpinned by robust metrics that capture health, environmental and socioeconomic outcomes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A systematic review in a leading food science journal synthesises definitions and narratives for the protein transition, identifying three distinct frameworks and highlighting the need for integrated approaches. This work reveals gaps in clarity around reduction versus replacement goals and emphasises the importance of scale, actor roles and complementary strategies to achieve dietary shifts. It calls for cohesive policy support and interdisciplinary research to align consumer behaviour, technological innovation and systemic redesign.

Sustainable Protein Consumption and Transition Strategies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainable protein consumption and transition strategies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Protein transition: A shift in dietary and production systems to reduce reliance on conventional animal proteins in favour of more sustainable alternatives.

Alternative proteins: Non-traditional protein sources such as plant-based isolates, microbial biomass, insect-derived proteins and cultured cells.

Planetary Health Diet: A reference dietary pattern designed to optimise human health and environmental sustainability by balancing plant and animal food intake.

Greenhouse gas emissions: Gaseous compounds, including carbon dioxide and methane, released into the atmosphere that contribute to global warming and climate change.

References

1. A systematic review of the definitions, narratives and paths forwards for a protein transition in high-income countries. Nature Food (2024).
2. Protein consumption in Europe: Sustainability, tradition, and policy implications. Sustainable Development (2024).
3. Meat Consumption and Sustainability. Annual Review of Resource Economics (2022).
4. Transition from Animal-Based to Plant-Based Food Production to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture—The Case of Denmark. Sustainability (2020).