Scientists at climate talks say major changes to the nitrogen cycle cannot be ignored

Science Daily: An international group of scientists say there is an immediate need for a global assessment of the nitrogen cycle and its impact on climate. On a planetary scale, human activities, especially fertiliser application, have more than doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen in circulation on land. This massive alteration of the nitrogen cycle affects climate, food security, energy security, human health and ecosystem health. The long-term consequences of these changes are yet to be fully realised, but the human impact on the nitrogen cycle has so far been largely missed in international environmental assessments.

Nitrogen's role in climate change will be highlighted at an event on 7 December at the COP-15 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Event organisers will be calling for a new assessment of nitrogen and climate, which will identify innovative nitrogen management strategies for global climate change mitigation and associated co-benefits to society.

Dr Cheryl Palm, the chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), which is organising the event, said "Nitrogen and climate interactions are not yet adequately included in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment process. There is an urgent need to assess the possibilities of nitrogen management for climate abatement and at the same time increase food security, while minimising environmental and human health impacts."

Dr Palm added, "We believe that in tackling nitrogen new opportunities for climate abatement will be created." Professor Jan Willem Erisman from the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, who will speak at the event said: "An internationally-coordinated global nitrogen assessment is urgently required. A special report on nitrogen and climate is the natural first step."…

Electron shell diagram for Nitrogen, the 7th element in the periodic table of elements. Created by Pumbaa (original work by Greg Robson), Wikimedia Commons, under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 England & Wales (UK) Licence