Artificial meat is a one take on the sustainability problem but a more pragmatic approach that will not solve it but make a big dent is to reduce meat consumption instead of replacing it.
Sainsburys in the UK ran an advert at one point where e.g. add 50% red beans and 50% meat to your casserole. Have one vegan day per week etc. Imagine if we could reduce meat consumption by even 50% by just being more disciplined? It would make a massive difference, we can then treat meat as a special treat so if it costs a bit more and is reared in a more friendly way then that is also good.
What might then happen is that as people get used to eating veggie/vegan, they start to realise, as I did, that they don't miss meat that much (I married a vegetarian). I have meat maybe once per week if I am out but otherwise mostly veggie (and cheat with some fish too!)
If sustainability is the goal then convinving people to switch from beef to fish and chicken is a lot easier. People don't have to go full vegetarian to make a big impact on reducing their greenhouse emissions. I feel like that's the most pragmatic approach right now.
I think the view that the only sustainable option is the vegetarian one isn't helpful. Especially since, depending on your diet, a vegetarian diet is not necessarily sustainable.
Sainsburys in the UK ran an advert at one point where e.g. add 50% red beans and 50% meat to your casserole. Have one vegan day per week etc. Imagine if we could reduce meat consumption by even 50% by just being more disciplined? It would make a massive difference, we can then treat meat as a special treat so if it costs a bit more and is reared in a more friendly way then that is also good.
What might then happen is that as people get used to eating veggie/vegan, they start to realise, as I did, that they don't miss meat that much (I married a vegetarian). I have meat maybe once per week if I am out but otherwise mostly veggie (and cheat with some fish too!)