2026-05-29 · percent of reactive nitrogen from humans
Half of fertilizer nitrogen is new to the cycle
Haber-Bosch fed billions — but excess N pollutes water and warms the planet.
Nearly half of humanity depends on synthetic fertilizer for food — nitrogen newly created by the Haber-Bosch process. That fertilizer makes up 48% of human-created reactive nitrogen; cultivation-induced fixation adds 32%, and combustion plus other sources the remaining 20%. The excess pollutes water and warms the planet.
1 cell = 0.1 percent of reactive nitrogen from humans (0.1% of human-created reactive N) · 1,000 cells
Context
Synthetic fertilizer is the largest single human source of reactive nitrogen at 48%, according to the Galloway et al. estimates compiled by Our World in Data. Cultivation-induced fixation — extra nitrogen drawn from the atmosphere by crops such as legumes and rice — adds 32%, and combustion plus other sources account for the remaining 20%.
Just under half of the people alive today depend on synthetic fertilizers for food production. Higher yields also let farming feed more people from less land, easing pressure on natural habitats.
The catch is overapplication: many countries apply more nutrients than crops can absorb, and the surplus runs off into waterways and ecosystems. Using nitrogen efficiently — keeping the food benefits while cutting the pollution — is the central challenge.
Galloway et al. / OWID human nitrogen fixation shares.
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Credit this grid as Inagrid — https://inagrid.com/e/2026-05-29-nitrogen-fertilizer