Animal Exploitation Industries: Animal exploitation industries contribute to pollutants and emissions (1), encourage addiction and criminal pursuits (2), and unduly expend resources and energy (3). This hinders the expansion of innovation for more environmentally friendly and sustainable industries that can better life in impoverished communities (5). Current investments by governments and independent entities could be allocated towards building up infrastructure (4).

Blocking Sustainable Innovation: Big Meat, Dairy, and Egg industry corporations have monopolized global food systems (6). They also use tactics to “confuse and delay regulation” of their planet-harming activities, creating an imbalance in implementing reform (7). Their influence in the food industry is great where others’ is not, according to the American Meat Institute, the industry’s primary trade organization: “Meat and poultry industry impacts firms in all 509 sectors of the U.S. economy. The meat and poultry industry’s economic ripple effect generates $864.2 billion annually”. Whereas in comparison, all vegetables, fruits, and nuts combined made just over $45 billion in farm cash receipts (8).

Download the document below to read the full list of the latest citations of evidence as to how animal exploitation undermines the progress of SDG Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure