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Together as a Civilization, we Consume

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12 December 2022

As we near the end of 2022, two environmental events have taken center stage and should continue to command our attention: COP27 (the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt and COP15 (the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 15th Conference of the Parties) in Montreal, Canada.

In particular, COP15 aims to finalize a Global Biodiversity Framework to guide specific rescue efforts for our planet. One component of it is the “30×30” target, which calls for 30% of the Earth’s land and sea to be conserved through the establishment of protected areas and other area-based conservation measures.

At Singapore, only close to 5% of land is currently protected, including its four nature reserves. For the land-scarce city-state, its natural areas tend to be isolated and small. Stakeholders involved have had to innovate for the environment and they have succeeded by integrating wild spaces into the country’s urban landscape in order to connect green areas. This is essential for maximizing the benefits that biodiversity and ecosystem services have to offer.

Serendipitously, Singapore has its own ’30 by 30’ plan for a more sustainable society. The government launched the goal to strengthen the capability and capacity to produce 30% of their nutritional needs locally and sustainably by 2030. This is crucial for resilience and food security. Food technology in Singapore also has great potential to contribute towards climate change and biodiversity issues.

Shiok Meats is a food startup in Singapore, specifically in the alternative protein field. Founded by Dr Sandhya Sriram and Dr Ka Yi Ling, the cultivated meat and seafood company was the first in the world, back in 2018, to work on crustacean cells. Food tech in Singapore will require innovation by entrepreneurs and scientists if we are to make a difference in the industry. In 2021, the startup acquired Gaia Foods, a Singapore-based startup that works on cultivated, textured red meat.

Sustainable food in Singapore got a well-deserved boost when the island-state became the first in the world to approve the sale of cultivated meats by a company. Alternative protein plays a huge role in Singapore food tech. Plant-based meat came to the fore in recent times as consumers started to consider the option more seriously. It is only a matter of time before cultivated meat has a bigger share of the market. More food startups in Singapore will continue to emerge and fly our flag, as we move towards a better future for our planet. Food technology in Singapore is definitely a space to watch intently.

 

Read more on Shiok Meats as featured on the internet