Nigel Sizer has spent decades on the environmental frontlines—protecting forests, advocating for human rights, and shaping climate policy. Now, as the new CEO of the Good Food Institute (GFI), he’s tackling what might be his biggest challenge yet: transforming how the world produces meat.
Sizer believes our current food system is driving multiple global crises, from deforestation to climate change to pandemic risk. But he sees enormous potential in alternative proteins—whether made from plants, fermentation, or lab-grown animal cells—to address these interconnected problems. “Our food system drives many crises, but it also has huge potential to be part of the solution,” he told Mongabay in September.
Drawing from his experience launching Global Forest Watch, a groundbreaking satellite deforestation tracking tool at the World Resources Institute, Sizer plans to build coalitions among farmers, scientists, regulators, and investors. His goal is ambitious: remake protein production into a force for climate resilience and economic growth.
Sizer’s strategy focuses on securing substantial public investment in alternative proteins, similar to the government backing that helped launch the renewable energy revolution. He argues this funding could create jobs, improve nutrition, and protect biodiversity before environmental crises worsen. Crucially, he wants to ensure traditional farmers and producers aren’t left behind in this transition, emphasizing the need to diversify crops and supply chains to create new opportunities within existing agricultural systems.