Resources
Why It Matters
Reducing emissions of N2O (nitrous oxide) is important to achieve internationally agreed climate goals, prevent further damage to and allow for a full recovery of the ozone layer, and improve human health and biodiversity.
Read Our Brief
Near-term oppportunities for international action to mitigate emissions of nitrous oxide.
Identifying the top causes of N2O emissions
Agriculture
Accounting for about three-quarters of human-caused emissions, agriculture is the most significant driver of N₂O emissions by far. Within agriculture, the primary sources of nitrous oxide are overuse of nitrogen fertilizers, animal manure on fields, and manure management.
Industrial Sources
About 5% of human-caused emissions come from industrial sources, primarily production of adipic acid, a feedstock for production of some plastics and other synthetic materials, and nitric acid, an input for fertilizer production.
Fossil Fuels, Waste, and Biomass Burning
The remaining 20% of emissions come from combustion of fossil fuels, wastewater treatment plants, and burning of biomass such as wood and crop residues.
Possible Pathways
How to advance N2O mitigation at the international level
Nitrous oxide is particularly impactful because of its high global warming potential (about 273 times greater than CO₂ over a 100-year period) and its long atmospheric lifetime (around 114 years). Here are some pathways forward.
Suggestions
Countries should start by including N₂O targets, sectoral mitigation strategies, and action plans in their voluntary commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement, known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs, as recommended in guidance recently released by the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The next round of NDCs is due early next year.
The international community should give serious consideration to the creation of a global framework for the reduction of N2O emissions.
A coalition of frontrunner countries should commit to a time-bound, quantitative N₂O mitigation goal akin to the Global Methane Pledge, but in the context of realities for nitrous oxide.
In addition to a 2050 goal for overall N₂O emissions, countries should set a near-term goal of eliminating emissions from industrial sources altogether in the nearer term.
World leaders and leading philanthropies should make a collective commitment to marshal the necessary funding for all this work.
Additional Resources
Expert analysis to guide attainable goals
Globally recognized experts and researchers have been studying ways to mitigate N₂O emissions.
These two important resources are the starting point for a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities — and they provide excellent context to what you will find here at the N₂O Hub.
Resources
The Global Carbon Project’s Nitrous Oxide Budget: Provides the most comprehensive assessment of global nitrous oxide emissions, trends, and impacts, offering critical data to inform climate policy and sustainable solutions. Find out more here.
The UN’s Global N₂O Assessment: The Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment shines a spotlight on a critical but often overlooked climate threat. The report highlights actionable steps to cut emissions by over 40%, with deeper reductions achievable through transformations in food systems and society.
The N₂O Hub Launch Press Release: The N₂O launched at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. See our press release to learn more about the initiative.
Resource
Addressing the forgotten climate pollutant
Read our brief with details about ways we can begin addressing the N₂O emissions challenge now.
