In 2024 alone, $2 trillion has been directly attracting attention to the fossil fuel industry, and another $5 trillion represents catastrophic social costs, from toxic air pollution to oil spills and extensive environmental destruction.
At the same time, almost 90% of the $540 billion annual agricultural subsidies are causing harm to both people and the planet.
These funds have established disruptive practices and overwhelmingly support chemical-intensive commodity crop production. Most of this money flows through price protection and input-related payments, locking farmers into unsustainable systems that break down ecosystems, threaten health and undermine long-term food security.
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As industries around the world begin to slow shifts towards decarbonisation, global food systems are quietly opposed, further increasing the demand for fossil fuels.
Large food companies have routinely deployed aggressive tactics to undermine or thwart public health and environmental policies, and have similarly used Playbook fossil fuel giants for decades to halt climate progress.
Almost all synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, an astounding 99%, are made from fossil fuels, according to the report. Fertilizer production alone eats a third of the world’s petrochemists, making agriculture the leading profit driver for oil and gas companies.
Global pesticide use continues to increase, rising 13% over the past decade and has doubled since 1990, particularly in countries such as China, the US, Brazil, Thailand and Argentina. China stands out as the world’s largest producer of pesticides, taking charge of one-third of global production.
Pesticides have emerged as one of the global factors behind the loss of biodiversity. Their blow to human health is just as amazing. Every year, more than 385 million people suffer from unintended pesticide poisoning, resulting in 11,000 deaths, affecting almost 44% of the world’s agricultural population.
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Additionally, a widespread use of plastics, over 10% of the world’s plastic production for food and beverage packaging, and an additional 3.5% for agriculture has been revealed.
However, despite this heavy footprint, the food system remains largely ignored in national climate strategies and global negotiations.
The report is highly critical of so-called “climate smart” innovations such as “blue” ammonia fertilizer, synthetic biology, and high-tech digital agriculture. The authors argue that these approaches are energy-intensive, costly and risky in the use of fossil fuels and pesticides, under the guise of climate advancements.
“We’re excited to be able to help you get the most out of our business,” said Molly Anderson, an expert at Ipes-Food. “From farms to forks, there is a need for bold action to redesign food and agriculture and to cut ties with oil, gas and coal. As Cop30 approaches, the world will ultimately have to face this fossil fuel blind spot.
“Food systems are a major driver of the oil expansion and a major opportunity for climate action, starting with phased out harmful chemicals in agriculture and investing in agroecological agriculture and local food supply chains.
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There is hope and there is already a choice. Agroecology, Indigenous Foodways, Regenerative Agriculture, and local supply chains provide viable, fossil-free models for feeding people and planets.
“We’ve seen a lot of effort and we’ve seen it,” said Georgina Catacora-Vargas, an expert at Ipes-Food.
“By shifting from ultra-processed diets to diverse locally produced foods, we can feed the world without fossil fuels by redisplaying farmers’ farming and care jobs by helping farmers get off the chemical treadmill and restructuring biological relationships.”
With Brazil’s COP30 on the horizon, IPES-Food is asking the government to phase out fossil fuels and pesticide subsidies, reduce fossil fuels from its food system, and prioritize agroecological, healthy and resilient food systems.
Takeout is clear. Continuing food systems with fossil fuels can deepen climate turmoil, economic turmoil, and global hunger. We must be free from this destructive cycle. The future of our planet depends on the choices we make now.
This author
Monica Piccanini Regular contributors of Ecologist and a freelance writer focusing on environmental, health and human rights issues.
