Researchers raise concerns after discovering major problem in food system: 'This is an urgent call'

Fossil fuels and agricultural practices inflict remarkable economic damage, raising alarm bells among the world's leading environmental experts. 

What's happening?

A United Nations report found that the fossil fuel and food industries cause $5 billion in environmental damage hourly. 

The findings, summarized by The Guardian, underscore the impact that industrial pollution has on the livelihoods of everyday people. 

The study stated that pollution and deforestation caused by the food system creates $20 trillion in damage annually. Meanwhile, fossil fuel-powered energy, such as from burning gas and coal, inflicts $12 trillion in damages each year. 

Much of the world's food supply is made using processes that rely on these harmful energy sources that contribute to rising global temperatures. 

Animal agriculture, or the raising of animals specifically for meat and other products, can create up to 58% of gas pollution released by food. This industry is also a major contributor to habitat loss, biodiversity loss, air pollution, and water pollution. 

Environmental experts at the UN are calling on governments to implement policies and incentives to encourage more sustainable processes.

"This is an urgent call to transform our human systems now before collapse becomes inevitable," Professor Edgar Gutiérrez-Espeleta, report co-chair and former environment minister in Costa Rica, told The Guardian.

Why are current food production practices concerning?

Fossil fuels like gas and coal produce dangerous air pollution that heats our planet and exacerbates extreme weather events. This pollution is also harmful for our health, contributing to childhood asthma, stroke, and heart disease.

Food production, transportation, packaging, and storage are responsible for about 15% of global fossil fuel usage, according to the Global Alliance for the Future of Food. 

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Ironically, this worsens extreme weather like wildfires, drought, or flooding, which can decimate crops. These events can cause shortages and higher prices at the grocery store, leading to growing food insecurity. Crop failure, caused in part by industrial pollution, is bad for everyday households and the agricultural industry. 

What's being done about costly food production?

The UN experts say that the environmental costs of food production and fossil fuels should be reflected in energy and grocery pricing. This way, consumers know the true cost of pollution and feel incentivized to support eco-friendly businesses. 

The report also suggests that world leaders implement universal basic income, meat taxes, and subsidies for plant-based foods. They also encouraged governments to rollback $1.5 trillion in environmentally-harmful subsidies for fossil fuel companies, food producers, and miners. 

The report co-chairs also highlighted the surprising impact of local action and political pressure. 

"The public have got to demand that they want a sustainable future for their children and their grandchildren," Professor Robert Watson, a report co-chair, told the Guardian. "Most governments do try and respond."

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