Phosphorus is one of the key elements in the production of fertilizers and thus the production of food. Since phosphorus is constantly removed from the soil in the process of agricultural production, its reliable availability in the form of fertilizers is essential for food security and economic development. In this paper we present a new method to trace the flows of phosphorus from the countries where it is mined to the counties where it is used in agricultural production. We achieve this by combining data on phosphorus production with data on fertilizer use and data on international trade of phosphorus-related products. We show that by making certain adjustments to data on net exports we can re-construct the matrix of phosphorus flows to a large degree, a results that is important for devising measures on sustainable development and environmental accounting, not only for phosphorus but for many other resources.
If you would like to attend the talk, please sign-up via office@csh.ac.at
Matthias Raddant (Danube University Krems, CSH) will give a talk on Friday January 20, 2023 at 3 PM in room 201.