Fertilizers emit more CO₂ than planes and ships combined. And nobody talks about it.
- May 26, 2025
- 1 min read
Decarbonizing aviation is sexy. Electrifying cars gets headlines. Hydrogen buses and cars are mostly seen in the news rather than on the streets.
But fertilizer?
📉 Quietly, it emits over 2.5 gigatons of CO₂ annually.
That’s more than global aviation and shipping put together.
We can skip a flight.
We can choose a Zoom call over an in-person meeting.
But we can’t skip a meal more than once or twice a day.
80% of global ammonia production goes to make fertilizer. How do you make ammonia? Yes, with hydrogen. And this hydrogen is now 100% “grey”, meaning that natural gas is used as a feedstock. Which means the real hydrogen economy isn’t in mobility, it’s in agriculture.
That’s why I interviewed Olivier Mussat, the CEO of ATOME Energy.
Their goal isn’t to chase subsidies or bet on next-gen electrolysers.
They’re building a business that works now, in emerging markets, with existing tech and a clear product-market fit: green ammonia.
Their first project alone could replace 1% of all nitrate fertilizers used in Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
And if their pilot is successful, it’ll become a blueprint.
🧠 The boldest startups won’t win by reinventing the wheel.
They’ll win by changing the axle, quietly, patiently, and with margins that work.
👉 Full interview here
💬 Know a founder tackling a “boring” climate sector? I want to hear from them.
