Report from UN Environment Program advises that smarter use of nutrients required to reduce environmental damage

Posted by Craig Clarke 
on Mar 5, 2013
 
 
 A new report commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) highlights how humans have massively altered the natural flows of nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients. While this has had huge benefits for world food and energy production, it has caused a web of water and air pollution that is damaging human health, causing toxic algal blooms, killing fish, threatening sensitive ecosystems and contributing to climate change.  The study was carried out by nearly 50 experts from 14 countries.
 
 
The accelerated use of nitrogen and phosphorous is at the centre of a complex web of development benefits and environmental problems. They are key to crop production and half of the world’s food security is dependent on nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer use. But excess nutrients from fertilizers, fossil fuel burning, and wastewater from humans, livestock, aquaculture and industry lead to air, water, soil and marine pollution, with loss of biodiversity and fish, destruction of ozone and additional global warming potential.
The problems will intensify as the demand for food and bio-fuels increase, and growing urban populations produce more wastewater. This will be at a growing economic cost to countries in the undermining of ecosystems, notably in the costal zone, and the services and jobs they provide.
 
 
The scientists suggest that a 20% improvement in nutrient use efficiency by 2020 would reduce the annual use of nitrogen fertilizer by 20 million tonnes. They term this global aspirational goal "20:20 for 2020". Their analysis shows how this could provide a net saving worth around 110 (30 to 260) billion pounds Sterling per year. This figure includes implementation costs and financial benefits from reduced nitrogen use and improvements to the environment and human health.
 
 Pollution sources considered in the report include emissions from agriculture and combustion of fossil fuel. Globally around 80% of harvested nitrogen and phosphorus is consumed by livestock rather than directly by people, showing how global nutrient supply and pollution are dominated by humans’ choice to consume animal products.

The report proposes a package of ten key actions to reduce these pollution threats, and makes recommendations for shared action by governments, business and citizens. Key points include:
  • Actions that improve the management of nutrients in agriculture, including crops, livestock and manure management.
  • Actions to reduce nutrient losses from industry and waste water treatment, including the recycling of available resources.
  • Actions to improve local optimization of nutrient flows, connecting arable and livestock farming to improve nutrient recycling opportunities
  • Lowering personal consumption of animal protein among populations consuming high rates by voluntary reduction and avoiding excess. With rapidly increasing meat and dairy consumption, as Asia and Latin America aspire to European and North American norms, our diet choices have a huge potential to influence future levels of global nutrient pollution

Click here to go to UNEP page.

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