Global nutrient equity for people and the planet

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Agricultural Science
• Global Economics

Background:

• Industrial agriculture has created nutrient imbalances, leading to environmental degradation (water pollution, biodiversity loss, climate change) and food insecurity in developing nations.
• Current nutrient flows are unsustainable, with excess in some areas and critical shortages in others, particularly in agricultural soils of poorer regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a system for redistributing accumulated nutrients to enhance global food security.
• To counteract the degradation of critical Earth system processes caused by current nutrient management practices.
• To explore innovative financing mechanisms for nutrient redistribution.

Main Methods:

• Proposing the processing and transportation of residue and sediment nutrients to food-insecure regions.
• Suggesting logistics models that mirror the global trade of resources like rock phosphate.
• Introducing a financing model based on trading accumulated rights, termed a 'one Earth currency'.

Main Results:

• A potential pathway to enhance food security by addressing soil nutrient shortages in vulnerable regions.
• A strategy to mitigate environmental damage associated with excessive fertilizer use and nutrient runoff.
• A framework for a socially just economic system that promotes resilience and equity in resource management.

Conclusions:

• Redistributing accumulated nutrients offers a viable solution to simultaneously tackle food insecurity and environmental crises.
• Innovative logistics and financing, such as a 'one Earth currency,' are crucial for implementing such a global nutrient management transformation.
• This approach can foster a more resilient, equitable, and dignified global system by rebalancing critical Earth system processes.