The climate impact and land use of cultivated meat: Evaluating agricultural feedstock production

5.2 Limitations While our study provides valuable insights into the land use implications of CM, it is impor- tant to note a few limitations. Our case study analysis is based on southern Germany, so the results may not be representative of other geographical locations with different agricultural systems, climates, and land accessibility. More agricultural crops could be grown and used as media bases, even in a German context. However, every agricultural site offers different basic requirements. We limited our model to a set of regular crops used in Germany. Furthermore, our data was based on German yield averages. Future integrated and regener- ative agricultural practices could lead to different results, although lower crop yields and there- fore lower sugar and amino acid yields are to be expected with these cultivation methods [113]. Moreover, conservation agriculture does not generally lead to N2O emission mitigation [114]. Table 8. Land use, carbon opportunity cost, and carbon cost of consumption of 100 ha arable land for cultivated meat. Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 Unit Crop yield Crop production emissions (max. extraction/ (max. extraction/ (specific extraction/ (specific extraction/ no solar energy) solar energy) no solar energy) solar energy) t/ha t CO2e t-1 fw Sources Land use Soybeans 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 ha 3.2 0.4 LFL, 2023; DonauSoja, 2022 Winter oilseed rapeseed 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 ha 3.6 0.5 LFL, 2023 Sunflower - - 13.3 13.3 ha 2.7 0.8 LFL, 2023 Maize for grain 8.1 9.6 - - ha 10.5 0.3 LFL, 2023

Winter wheat 13.3 7.6 13.3 8.8 ha 7.5 0.3 LFL, 2023 Potatoes 8.6 7.0 3.3 3.3 ha 42.3 0.2 LFL, 2023 Photovoltaic cells - 5.7 - 4.6 ha Bo¨hm et al., 2022 Total land use 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 ha Production emissions per area 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.7 t CO2e ha-1 Own calculation Land requirement per output 5.6 5.8 7.3 7.3 m2/kg Own calculation Output per area 1.8 1.7 1.4 1.4 t/ha Own calculation Production emissions per output Feed concentrates or medium production emissions 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 t CO2e t-1 Own calculation Energy use, scaffold, equipment & other 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 t CO2e t-1 Sinke et al., 2023 Total production emissions 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.0 t CO2e t-1 Own calculation Carbon Opp. Cost Foregone carbon sequestration of arable land 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 t C/ ha*a Fehrenbach & Bu¨rck, 2022 Foregone carbon sequestration of arable land 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 t CO2/ ha*a Own calculation Carbon opportunity cost 6.0 6.2 7.7 7.7 t CO2e t-1 Own calculation Carbon cost of consumption 9.0 9.1 10.8 10.7 t CO2e t-1 Own calculation https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316480.t008 PLOS ONE Evaluating agricultural feedstock for cultivated meat PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316480 January 22, 2025 19 / 27