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Towards an International Nitrogen Management System

UN Environment Integrated Nutrient Management System

By IW:LEARN

June 21^st, 2018

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for life, but our need to feed the world has un-intended consequences in coastal and freshwater environments, as well as on human health, biodiversity and climate. Nitrogen is multi-sector, cutting across many of the SDG’s, including 2, 6 & 14.

The use of nitrogen in synthetic fertilizers, manure, urine and in biological nitrogen fixation is necessary for global food security. However, its use leads to a variety of impacts including eutrophication in coastal marine and freshwater systems – impacting on food security, health and livelihoods. Agricultural pollution includes run-off into water as nitrate and ammonium and atmospheric emissions of ammonia and nitrous oxide, on local to global scales. The issue is inherently transboundary, with impacts often hundreds of kilometres from source.

In cities, wastewater management is also important, ensuring the removal of nitrate and ammonium before effluent is released into local watercourses. Wastewater nitrogen management varies greatly across the globe, impacting water and ecosystems security and often treatment involves returning nitrogen to the atmosphere through denitrification. However, this wastes nitrogen which could instead be used to grow our crops. Atmospheric nitrogen pollution is also generated in cities, where vehicle emissions of nitrogen oxides meet the agricultural pollutant ammonia, making damaging particulate matter. Nitrogen Oxides also contribute to ground level ozone production - smog.

Tackling nitrogen is therefore challenging due to the multiple sources, sectors and impacts involved – however it is within this challenge that the solution lies. The GEF/UN Environment project Towards INMS, is developed with the recognition that the present lack of a coherent approach across the nitrogen cycle contributes substantially to these barriers. ‘Towards INMS’ therefore addresses the hypothesis that joined up management of the nitrogen cycle will offer many co-benefits that strengthen the case for action for cleaner water, cleaner air, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, better soil and biodiversity protection, while at the same time helping to meet food and energy goals. At the heart of INMS are 7 demonstration regions, where the INMS concept is being tested in transnational contexts.

Scottish Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Roseanna Cunningham addresses the ‘INMS-3 Global Nitrogen Reception’ at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, April 2018. Photo credit: INMS

Recent Activities:

INMS-3: Scientists and stakeholders discuss guidance and tools for informed decision making on N cycle management, including coastal pollution prevention.
#Nitrogen4WED: High-level discussion on how nitrogen can play a role in supporting India in achieving the SDG’s, highlighting possible interventions, environmental and social benefits.

Next steps…… INMS will continue to engage with scientists and stakeholders developing common understanding and a set of solutions for the nitrogen issue. By 2022, INMS will deliver:

A global assessment of the threats and benefits of human alteration of the nitrogen cycle and the opportunities for improvement.
A forward look of what may happen if the problem is ignored.
A guidance on joining up mitigation and adaptation options and strategies, linked to circular and green economy thinking.
A platform for better cooperation across science and policy helping to overcome the barriers.

For more info please visit www.inms.international or contact the project at inms@ceh.ac.uk

Footnotes

Cover photo: Professor N Raghuram presents a copy of the first ‘Indian Nitrogen Assessment’ to UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim at #Nitrogen4WED, Delhi, June 2018.

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FootNotes

Cover photo: Professor N Raghuram presents a copy of the first ‘Indian Nitrogen Assessment’ to UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim at #Nitrogen4WED, Delhi, June 2018.