Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research, Department of Thematic Studies-Water and Environmental Studies, Linköping University, Sweden.
J Sci Food Agric. 2012 Jan 15;92(1):2-6. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.4650. Epub 2011 Oct 3.
Global food production is dependent on constant inputs of phosphorus. In the current system this phosphorus is not predominantly derived from organic recycled waste, but to a large degree from phosphate-rock based mineral fertilisers. However, phosphate rock is a finite resource that cannot be manufactured. Our dependency therefore needs to be addressed from a sustainability perspective in order to ensure global food supplies for a growing global population. The situation is made more urgent by predictions that, for example, the consumption of resource intensive foods and the demand for biomass energy will increase. The scientific and societal debate has so far been focussed on the exact timing of peak phosphorus and on when the total depletion of the global reserves will occur. Even though the timing of these events is important, all dimensions of phosphorus scarcity need to be addressed in a manner which acknowledges linkages to other sustainable development challenges and which takes into consideration the synergies between different sustainability measures. Many sustainable phosphorus measures have positive impacts on other challenges; for example, shifting global diets to more plant-based foods would not only reduce global phosphorus consumption, but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce nitrogen fertiliser demand and reduce water consumption.
全球粮食生产依赖于持续投入的磷。在当前的系统中，这些磷主要不是来自有机回收废物，而是在很大程度上来自基于磷酸盐矿物的肥料。然而，磷矿是一种不可再生的资源，无法人工合成。因此，我们需要从可持续性的角度来解决这一问题，以确保为不断增长的全球人口提供全球粮食供应。例如，预测表明，资源密集型食品的消费和生物质能源的需求将会增加，这使得情况更加紧迫。到目前为止，科学界和社会各界的争论焦点一直集中在磷峰值的确切时间上，以及全球磷储量何时会耗尽。尽管这些事件的时间很重要，但需要以承认与其他可持续发展挑战的联系，并考虑到不同可持续性措施之间的协同作用的方式来解决磷短缺的所有方面。许多可持续的磷措施对其他挑战都有积极的影响；例如，将全球饮食结构转向更以植物为基础的食物，不仅会减少全球磷的消耗，还会减少温室气体排放，减少氮肥需求和用水量。
