In a fast-warming world the polluting fertiliser industry is under pressure to clean up its act.

In response, the sector spins a green image with slick PR. Leading the charge is Yara, the biggest fertiliser producer in Europe, claiming the market can continue to grow, with the help of innovative ‘low-emission’ products.

But Yara and the industry are not are green as they seem. Fertilisers, including most ‘sustainable’ products, are predominantly made from natural gas – including that which is fracked and imported from the U.S., where production is opposed by marginalised communities. 

Our investigation unmasks Yara’s dirty supply chain, and reveals the sustainability challenges the sector faces. It comes as the industry looks to expand into the shipping and energy sectors – touting its low-carbon ammonia, the central component of fertiliser production, as a miracle chemical for decarbonising these industries.

Image credit: Pete Reynolds