Alternative Nobel laureate on climate: "Chemical fertilizers much bigger problem than flies"

Created: 2022-12-14, 4:44 p.m

By: Christoph Gschossmann

Vandana Shiva fights against toxic chemicals in food.

© IMAGO/Alessio Tarpini

Are we in Europe focusing on the wrong issues in the climate debate?

According to Alternative Nobel Peace Prize winner Vandana Shiva, there is not enough talk about nutrition.

Munich – The climate debate hasn't just been on everyone's lips since adhesive activism.

But does our society put the wrong focus when the debates revolve around the speed limit and the nine-euro ticket?

Alternative Nobel Peace Prize winner Vandana Shiva says up to 37 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to our diet.

The doctor of quantum physics and environmental activist is known for her commitment against seed patents, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Shiva, who has earned the nickname "Ghandi of the Grain", says in an interview with

: "A large part of greenhouse gas emissions come from the use of toxic chemicals in food and agriculture and this is under-discussed in the climate debate." A study is said to have shown that the ecological footprint of chemical fertilizers is larger than that of commercial flying.

"Of course flying isn't good either, but chemical fertilizers are a much bigger problem."

“We try so hard not to use plastic, but we eat plastic food”

In an appeal against pesticides, she also explains: “No society wants these poisons!

And they destroy the human body.

Over 70 percent of chronic diseases come from hyper-industrialized landscape systems.

That's why I say: Health is our future, and it is closely linked to food.”

Shiva calls for a change in eating habits - also with regard to microplastics.

“We try so hard not to use plastic, but we eat plastic food.

That does the same damage.

We should stop eating chemical foods and source our food as locally as possible because transportation is also a big issue.”

Western nations can 'learn a lot from India'

According to Shiva, if we don't change our diet, "Billions of people will starve, enormous water shortages and frequent climate catastrophes would be the result.

So we have to take action now.” She also says: “Industrial meat processing is of course a major problem for climate change.

But for that we don’t all have to become vegan, but return to more traditional, organic farming.”

She doesn't want to “manage” anyone to change.

Instead, she says: "The problem is that people hardly have any alternatives to toxic food." And: "We need a system in which everyone has the right to food without chemicals, otherwise we have to admit that we are slaves to the poison cartel are.” Western nations like Germany could learn a lot from India – because “my homeland has long relied on traditional ecological agriculture without toxins”.

So your appeal is: "We must hold the seed in our hands again in order to hold democracy in our hands."