Nitrogen management to achieve China’s Sustainable Development Goals

Chen, B., Zhang, X. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1961-3339, & Gu, B. (2026). Nitrogen management to achieve China’s Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-026-01919-0.

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Abstract

Nitrogen, serving as both a vital nutrient and a potent pollutant, has an important role in the pursuit of global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the comprehensive impact of nitrogen on SDG achievement remains relatively unclear. Here we utilize the Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) model to build a framework for assessing the influence of nitrogen on SDGs in China during 2020. Our analysis reveals that nitrogen use and loss in China affect 11 out of the 17 SDGs, with notable regional disparities. In general, regions with higher economic development perform better in the nitrogen-related SDG (SDG-N) scores within the economy dimension, but score lower in the society and environment dimensions. Our simulations indicate that comprehensive nitrogen management is crucial to foster synergy among SDGs, which could enhance SDG-N index scores in China by 8-26%, resulting in substantial national benefits, including US$162 billion (US$98-208 billion) in savings on fertilizer and food imports, increased agricultural yields, improved public health, enhanced ecosystem resilience and climate mitigation. Importantly, these benefits can be achieved with a modest net implementation cost of only US$34 billion (US$27-41 billion), making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution for advancing China's SDG agenda.

Item Type:	Article
Research Programs:	Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) > Pollution Management (PM)
Depositing User:	Luke Kirwan
Date Deposited:	02 Mar 2026 09:17
Last Modified:	02 Mar 2026 09:17
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/21356

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