In a social sense, the scalability and comparative simplicity of the Haber-Bosch process dramatically increased the quantity of ammonia that could be produced globally, reaching 183 million tons by 2022  (IRENA and AEA, 2022, p.11). This greatly supports global food production as it allows for a significant increase in crop yields and therefore the food supply for a rapidly growing global population (Smil, 1999, p.415). 

With that being said, a significant motivation behind Haber’s research was not only to feed the world’s growing but, as a German patriot, to supply his country with nitric acid-derived explosives that it desperately needed for its wars—wars which, Haber believed, would be shortened by his inventions (Erisman et al., 2008, p.637). In reality, the Haber-Bosch process was quite possibly the only reason WWI did not end with Germany running out of gunpowder in just a few months.

Moreover, being the primary basis of military explosive supplies in the 20th century, the process has a direct connection to 100-150 million deaths during that time period (Erisman et al., 2008, p.637).