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2 - The European nitrogen problem in a global perspective
- from Part I - Nitrogen in Europe: the present position
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- By Jan Willem Erisman, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, Hans van Grinsven, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Bruna Grizzetti, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Fayçal Bouraoui, European Commission Joint Research Centre, David Powlson, Rothamsted Research, Mark A. Sutton, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Albert Bleeker, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, Stefan Reis, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
- Edited by Mark A. Sutton, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK, Clare M. Howard, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK, Jan Willem Erisman, Gilles Billen, Albert Bleeker, Peringe Grennfelt, Hans van Grinsven, Bruna Grizzetti
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- Book:
- The European Nitrogen Assessment
- Published online:
- 16 May 2011
- Print publication:
- 14 April 2011, pp 9-31
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- Chapter
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Summary
Executive summary
Nature of the problem
Reactive nitrogen has both positive and negative effects on ecosystems and human health. Reactive nitrogen is formed through the use of fossil fuels releasing large amounts of nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere and through the production of ammonia by the Haber–Bosch process and using it in agriculture to increase our food, feed and fuel production. While the use of nitrogen as a fertilizer and chemical product has brought enormous benefits, losses of fertilizer nitrogen and combustion nitrogen to the environment lead to many side effects on human health, ecosystem health, biodiversity and climate.
Approaches
The European nitrogen problem is placed in a global perspective, showing the European nitrogen fixation, transport and environmental impacts compared with different regions of the globe.
Key findings/state of knowledge
Humans, largely through agriculture, but also through burning of fossil fuels, have had a huge impact on the nitrogen budget of the Earth. Europe is one of the leading producers of reactive nitrogen, but it is also the first region in the world where the issue was recognized and in some parts of Europe the reactive nitrogen losses to the environment started to decrease. Europe is a nitrogen hotspot in the world with high nitrogen export through rivers to the coast, NOx and particulate matter concentrations and 10% of the global N2O emissions.
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