Aspirational nitrogen interventions accelerate air pollution abatement and ecosystem protection

Guo, Y., Zhao, H., Winiwarter, W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7131-1496, Chang, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4463-7778, Wang, X., Zhou, M., Havlik, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5551-5085, Leclere, D., et al. (2024). Aspirational nitrogen interventions accelerate air pollution abatement and ecosystem protection. Science Advances 10 (33) eado0112. 10.1126/sciadv.ado0112.

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Abstract

Although reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions from food and energy production contribute to multi-dimensional environmental damages, integrated management of Nr is still lacking owing to unclear future mitigation potentials and benefits. Here, we find that by 2050, high-ambition compared to low-ambition N interventions reduce global ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions by 21 and 22 TgN/a, respectively, equivalent to 40 and 52% of their 2015 levels. This would mitigate population-weighted PM2.5 by 6 g/m3 and avoid premature deaths by 817 k (16%), mitigate ozone by 4 ppbv, avoid premature deaths by 252k (34%) and crop yield losses by 122 million tons (4.3%), and decrease terrestrial ecosystem areas exceeding critical load by 420 Mha (69%). Without nitrogen interventions, most environmental damages examined will deteriorate between 2015 and 2050; Africa and Asia are the most vulnerable but also benefit the most from interventions. Nitrogen interventions support sustainable development goals related to air, health, and ecosystems.

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