Food and fossil fuel production causing $5bn of environmental damage an hour'

"The climate crisis, destruction of nature and pollution could no longer be seen as simply environmental crises. They are all undermining our economy, food security, water security, human health and they are also [national] security issues, leading to conflict in many parts of the world, said Prof Robert Watson, the co-chair of the assessment. All the environmental crises were worsening as the global population grows and required more food and energy,"

"A sustainable world was possible, they said, but required political courage. This is an urgent call to transform our human systems now before collapse becomes inevitable, said Prof Edgar Gutierrez-Espeleta, another co-chair and the former environment minister in Costa Rica. The science is good. The solutions are known. What is required is the courage to act at the scale and speed that history demands, he said, adding that the window for action was rapidly narrowing."

Unsustainable food and fossil fuel production causes about $5 billion of environmental damage every hour. Climate change, nature loss and pollution undermine economies, food and water security, human health and national security, contributing to conflicts. Growing global population increases demand for food and energy, much of which is produced in polluting, nature-destroying ways. A sustainable world remains possible but requires rapid political courage, public pressure and systemic transformation of governance, economics and finance. Geopolitical difficulties and corporate vested interests are obstructing action, and the window for effective large-scale change is rapidly narrowing.

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