Dead zones and fertilizers
The production and use of reactive nitrogen based artificial fertilizers has had huge global benefits providing food for billions through the green revolution. The down side of the increased availability of cheap manufactured nitrogen fertilizer products has been global environment problems associated with excess nutrients, specifically the problems of eutrophication, coastal hypoxic zones and nitrate contaminated groundwater. Tracing the formation of eutrophic and hypoxic zones across the world shows a close correlation to the growth of agricultural regions, cities and coastal development (figure above); as of 2011, UNEP had identified over 500 areas of hypoxia globally (UNEP, 2011).
Year: 2013
From collection: Green Economy in a Blue World - Full Report
Cartographer: GRID-Arendal