“Who Are the Real Climate Polluters in Our Food System?” with Matthew Hayek

Attributing responsibility for greenhouse emissions across complex food systems is not trivial. Foods all have embodied emissions in their lifecycle, but a long supply chain of actors are responsible for producing, distributing, and adding value to these commodities. Additionally, responsibility for emissions is a separate but overlapping concern from who has the responsibility and power to reduce, mitigate, or reverse these climate emissions. 

In this talk, moderated by LEAP Executive Director Viveca Morris, New York University’s Professor Matthew Hayek will demystify the scientific attribution of climate emissions to commodities in our food system, particularly for animal-sourced foods like meat and dairy, which are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. He will then discuss the legal responsibilities for environmental harms and their mitigation.

Matthew Hayek is an environmental scientist and Assistant Professor in the New York University Department of Environmental Studies. His scientific research quantifies the environmental impacts of our food system, with a specific focus on greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and land use changes including deforestation. His research uses environmental and statistical analyses to clarify the contributions that food system policies can make toward mitigating emissions in line with national and international climate targets. Dr. Hayek received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from Harvard University, which was followed by a postdoc appointment at the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School. He is also an affiliated faculty member in the NYU Center for Data Science and the NYU Wild Animal Welfare Program.