The new report from the Global Carbon Project, by a team of 58 researchers from 55 organizations in 15 countries, showed that China, India and the US were among the top 10 emitters. Brazil, Russia, Pakistan, Australia, Indonesia, Türkiye and Canada were the other top contributors.
Led by researchers at Boston College, the report said agricultural emissions reached 8 million metric tons in 2020, a 67 percent increase from 4.8 million metric tons released in 1980.
According to the report published in the journal Earth System Science Data, nitrous oxide flowed into the atmosphere in 2020 and 2021 at a faster rate than at any other time in history, causing a significant increase in global warming.
Lead author and Boston College professor Hankin Tian called for reducing "nitrous oxide emissions from human activities" "to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius as established by the Paris Agreement."It is "the only solution" because "no technology exists that can remove nitrous oxide from the atmosphere," he said.
Worryingly, the report showed that atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide are set to reach 336 parts per billion in 2022, 25 percent more than pre-industrial levels.
In 1980 the world's farmers used 60 million metric tons of commercial nitrogen fertilizers. As of 2020, the region used 107 million metric tons. In the same year, animal manure contributed 101 million metric tons to the combined use of 208 million metric tons in 2020.The global warming potential of the greenhouse gas is about 300 times greater than CO2 and poses serious consequences for the Earth, the report said.
Excess nitrogen results in soil, water and air pollution, and also depletes the ozone layer, exacerbating climate change. It reportedly causes health harm that can cause paralysis and death.
Led by researchers at Boston College, the report said agricultural emissions reached 8 million metric tons in 2020, a 67 percent increase from 4.8 million metric tons released in 1980.
According to the report published in the journal Earth System Science Data, nitrous oxide flowed into the atmosphere in 2020 and 2021 at a faster rate than at any other time in history, causing a significant increase in global warming.
Lead author and Boston College professor Hankin Tian called for reducing "nitrous oxide emissions from human activities" "to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius as established by the Paris Agreement."It is "the only solution" because "no technology exists that can remove nitrous oxide from the atmosphere," he said.
Worryingly, the report showed that atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide are set to reach 336 parts per billion in 2022, 25 percent more than pre-industrial levels.
In 1980 the world's farmers used 60 million metric tons of commercial nitrogen fertilizers. As of 2020, the region used 107 million metric tons. In the same year, animal manure contributed 101 million metric tons to the combined use of 208 million metric tons in 2020.The global warming potential of the greenhouse gas is about 300 times greater than CO2 and poses serious consequences for the Earth, the report said.
Excess nitrogen results in soil, water and air pollution, and also depletes the ozone layer, exacerbating climate change. It reportedly causes health harm that can cause paralysis and death.
