Yara calls for action to reduce dependence on Europe

Yara calls on the European Union and national governments to act urgently and decisively to ensure that Europe reduces its dependence on Russia for food and fertilizers. A strong European fertilizer industry is crucial not only to ensure food security in Europe and globally, but also to ensure that Europe can continue to take the lead in the green transition.

"It is imperative that the war against Ukraine does not destroy work towards a net-zero future. It is unthinkable that we will achieve climate targets without a strong, green European industry. Rather than weakening the position of the European fertilizer industry, which is a pioneer in decarbonization, we need massive, coordinated efforts to reach zero emissions while reducing our dependence on Russia," says Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara.

Joint fertilizer production in Europe reduces global fertilizer availability and has direct and negative consequences for the global food system and global food security.

The European fertilizer sector is also crucial for a sustainable and resilient food system, both in Europe and globally. Fertilizers produced in Europe have a carbon footprint that is only half of global averages, also compared to Russian fertilizers.

Yara joins the European Parliament and other stakeholders in calling for an EU fertilizer strategy. It is estimated that the essential plant nutrients provided by mineral fertilizers produce 50% of the food grown today.

A strategy for the European fertilizer industry is therefore a crucial step towards ensuring Europe's strategic autonomy in food and agriculture.

The EU package of solutions for the European fertilizer industry should include measures to:

• Ensure continued access to natural gas: Natural gas is essential for the production of fertilizers and is also crucial for reducing the environmental impact of other sectors. For example, AdBlue, which is essentially made from natural gas, is a diesel exhaust fluid used in vehicles to reduce the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere. Virtually all modern diesel vehicles and machines require AdBlue to operate and around 95% of AdBlue consumed in Europe is produced in Europe.

• Accelerate the use of renewable energy: The transition to more sustainable and resilient fertilizer production, using renewable energy and recovered nutrients, requires large-scale investments. Innovation and investment support must be directed to the fertilizer sector to meet the three objectives of accelerating decarbonization; reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; and reduce our dependence on Russia.

• Strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy in fertilizers: European authorities should prioritize the supply of raw materials for European fertilizer production to avoid new dependencies rather than lower barriers or imports of finished fertilizers from Russia or elsewhere. The Commission should also monitor and control the volumes of fertilizers arriving in Europe from Russia and Belarus, especially as Russian fertilizers have approximately twice the greenhouse emissions of fertilizers produced in Europe.

Yara hopes to contribute to the debate within the European Parliament and with national governments on the EU fertilizer strategy to ensure food security in Europe.