BC3. Basque centre for climate change – Klima aldaketa ikergai

Today was launched the latest  UNEP´s  Synthesis Report entitled "Drawing Down N2O, To Protect Climate and the Ozone Layer".

Agustin del Prado , Senior Researcher at BC3 has been one of the contributing authors of the report.

This report addresses the benefits of drawing down nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. N2O is now the most significant ozone-depleting substance emission and the third most important greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere. Global anthropogenic N2O emissions are rapidly increasing and are expected to almost double by 2050 unlessmitigation action is accelerated. The continued build-up of N2O in the atmosphere will continue to deplete the stratospheric ozone layer and in so doing will to a degree undermine the achievements of the Montreal Protocol. The build-up of N2O will also make it more difficult to achieve climate targets.
Two-thirds of current anthropogenic N2O emissions originate from agriculture and these can be reduced by boosting nitrogen use efficiency, especially by making the use of fertilizer, manure and feed more efficient. Improving nitrogen use efficiency can be accomplished through a wide variety of feasible options. This would bring addedbenefits of higher crop and livestock productivity, lower required agriculture inputs, as well as reduced air and water pollution due to decreased nitrogen losses to the
environment. Small, but quick gains may also be possible by controlling emissions from just two chemical industries (adipic acid and nitric acid) that account for about 5% of global gross1 anthropogenic emissions.

Download the full synthesis report at 

http://www.unep.org/publications/ebooks/UNEPN2Oreport/#

Agustin del Prado´s words on the report;

"The main intention of this report is to raise the awareness on the issue of N2O emissions and its role as the third greenhouse gas and the most relevant gas responsible for depleting the stratospheric ozone layer.

This is intended to act as the first action towards finding solutions that lead to the reduction of N2O emissions globally.  -Delivering sustainable agriculture and sustainable food-systems (including food consumption and food waste) are key challenges to substantially decrease N2O emissions globally."