Report - ‘UK Phosphorus Transformation Strategy’
A Report published in 2022 under the RePhoKUs project, outlining the UK’s first comprehensive national phosphorus transformation strategy. The Strategy is based on synthesised stakeholder views across the UK food system, and highlights priority pathways to transition to a sustainable future.
Overview: The UK’s food system is facing pressure from multiple factors, including climate change, land use change, Brexit uncertainties, and unforeseen shocks like COVID-19. The UK’s food system is dependent on phosphorus, but this also brings significant challenges, including:
inefficient phosphorus use
regional phosphorus imbalances
legacy phosphorus in soils
dependence on phosphate imports
risks of phosphate supply disruption and price spikes
Mismanaging phosphorus can compromise future food and water security in the UK and globally.
The report sets out UK’s first comprehensive National Phosphorus Transformation Strategy. Key stakeholders identified priority pathways, including technology and innovation, policy and governance, knowledge and research, markets and incentives, community, engagement and awareness, integration, connections and networks.
You can access the full report here:
Cordell, D., Jacobs, B., Anderson, A., Camargo-Valero M., Doody, D., Forber, K., Lyon, C., Mackay, E., Marshall, R., Martin-Ortega, J., May, L., Okumah, M., Rothwell, S., Shahvi, S., Sherry, E., Spears, B. and Withers, P. (2022), UK Phosphorus Transformation Strategy: Towards a circular UK food system, RePhoKUs project, doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7404622.