Un report: food and fossil fuel industries cause $5 billion in environmental damage every hour

A sobering new United Nations report reveals that unsustainable food and fossil fuel production is wreaking environmental havoc at an unprecedented scale—causing $5 billion worth of damage every single hour. The staggering figure, equivalent to £3.8 billion hourly, underscores the urgent need for immediate action to prevent what UN experts warn could be inevitable ecological collapse.

The UN Global Environment Outlook (GEO) report paints a stark picture of how our current production systems are systematically destroying the planet’s natural resources and ecosystems. From industrial agriculture that depletes soil and contaminates waterways to fossil fuel extraction that accelerates climate change and destroys habitats, these industries are operating at a cost that far exceeds their economic benefits when environmental damage is factored in.

According to the UN experts, halting this environmental destruction is not just an environmental imperative—it’s a prerequisite for the fundamental transformation of global governance, economics, and finance systems that must occur “before collapse becomes inevitable.” The report suggests that without dramatic changes to how we produce food and energy, the world faces a tipping point where environmental damage becomes irreversible.

The findings highlight the urgent need for governments, businesses, and consumers to rapidly transition toward sustainable alternatives. The report serves as a clarion call for immediate action, emphasizing that the window for preventing catastrophic environmental collapse is rapidly closing, making systemic change not just desirable but essential for humanity’s future.