The Ukraine-Russian war is taking place solely in Ukraine, but the effects of the conflict are global writes The Epoch Times. The story reports that sanctions and counter-sanctions have increased energy prices, and fears of a food shortage have amplified as Ukraine and Russia are major grain exporters. It isn’t just the war driving up prices, but the commitment for a net-zero future from developed countries to use more sustainable methods for energy like solar and wind. To reduce domestically produced fossil fuels, many European countries increased their reliance on Russian natural gas imports to compensate for their energy shortfalls.
Along with fuel, analysts examine fertilizer, its rising costs, and its impact on global food. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Russia is responsible for 15 percent of global trade in nitrogenous fertilizers and 17 percent of global potash fertilizer exports. Potash is soluble potassium, which is another primary plant macronutrient. IFPRI further reported that almost all European countries have varying dependencies on nitrogenous fertilizer imports from Russia and Belarus for their crops. In some countries, the reliance reaches as high as 60 percent or more.