Projected atmospheric N2O concentrations for the four IPCC-AR5 representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and the five scenarios of this study. S1 = FAO population and dietary projections with no new N2O mitigation efforts; S2 = same as S1 but also 50% reduction in mean per capita meat consumption in the developed world by 2030 relative to 1980 consumption; S3 = same as S1 but improvements in agricultural efficiencies that reduce N2O emissions factors for N fertilizers and manure by 50% by 2050; S4 = same as S3 but also 50% emission reductions in industry and transportation sectors and by biomass burning; S5 = combination of S2 and S4. Eric A Davidson, 2012

Contact: Michael Bishop, michael.bishop@iop.org, 01-179-301-032, Institute of Physics
12 April 2012

Meat consumption in the developed world needs to be cut by 50 per cent per person by 2050 if we are to meet the most aggressive strategy, set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to reduce one of the most important greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide (N2O). This is the finding from a new study, published today, 13 April 2012, in IOP Publishing’s Environmental Research Letters, which also claims that N2O emissions from the industrial and agricultural sectors will also need to be cut by 50 per cent if targets are to be met. Nitrous Oxide (N2O) has been on the rise since 1750. Nitrogen based fertilizer use has doubled in the past 15 years. These fertilizers provide nutrients for crops; however, when they breakdown in the soil, nitrous oxide is released into the atmosphere. qdsciences.comThe findings have been made by Dr Eric A Davidson of The Woods Hole Research Center, Massachusetts, and demonstrate the magnitude of changes needed to stabilise atmospheric N2O concentrations as well as improve the diets of the growing human population. N2O is the third highest contributor to climate change behind carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4); however, it poses a greater challenge to mitigate as nitrogen is an essential element for food production. It is also the most potent of these three greenhouse gases as it is a much better absorber of infrared radiation; however, the total anthropogenic emissions are about 6 million metric tons of nitrogen as N2O compared to 10 billion metric tons of carbon as CO2. The main sources of N2O are from the spreading of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers onto agricultural soils and storage and use of livestock manure. The nitrogen contained in fertilizers and manure is broken down by microbes that live in the soil and released into the atmosphere as N2O. […]

Drastic changes needed to curb most potent greenhouse gas