Scientists offer solutions to global phosphorus crisis that threatens food and water security

Scientists offer solutions to global phosphorus crisis that threatens food and water security - UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Phosphorus is an essential but often overlooked resource, which is vital for life on Earth and is extracted from phosphate rock for use in crop fertilisers, livestock feeds and food additives. A major new report by scientists warns that global mismanagement of this finite nutrient is causing twin crises, brought into sharp focus with fertiliser prices skyrocketing in recent months.

Global food security remains threatened as many farmers struggle to afford sufficient phosphorus fertiliser for their crops. Meanwhile, overuse of fertilisers and sewage pollution pump millions of tonnes of phosphorus into lakes and rivers each year, damaging biodiversity and affecting water quality.

green algae filled water image on the cover of the Our Phosphorus Futures report

The Our Phosphorus Future report is the most comprehensive global analysis of the challenges and possible

solutions to the phosphorus crisis to date. It has been written by a team of 40 international experts from 17 countries led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and the University of Edinburgh, and is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The report calls on governments across the world to adopt a '50, 50, 50' goal: a 50 per cent reduction in global pollution of phosphorus and a 50 per cent increase in recycling of the nutrient by the year 2050.

Recommendations in Our Phosphorus Future include:
• integrating livestock and crop production so phosphorus in animal manure is applied to crops, reducing the demand for chemical fertilisers;
• moving towards more sustainable diets, which would reduce the amount of phosphorus needed to grow animal feed;
• reducing global food waste, meaning less demand for crops and animal products, and therefore phosphorus (a recent UNEP report estimated global food waste from households, retail establishments and the food service industry totals 931 million tonnes each year);
• improving wastewater treatment to remove phosphorus from sewage, so it can be reused and does not enter lakes and rivers.

For the full Our Phosphorus Future report and videos summarising each chapter, see www.opfglobal.com