A comprehensive approach to nitrogen in the UK

28 February 2022

Aether, alongside project partners the Stockholm Environment Institute, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and Plantlife International, undertook a study of the nitrogen cycles and pathways in the UK and reviewed existing strategies and policies that could affect the balance of nitrogen in the environment.

The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) wanted to understand the impact of the UK’s current reactive nitrogen emissions, identify potential interventions, and set out priorities for policy as a response.

We used our technical insight across sectors to highlight the primary sources of disruptive reactive nitrogen and potential interventions that would reduce their impact whilst helping to meet the “triple challenge” of food security, climate mitigation and reversing biodiversity loss. For this, we undertook a detailed literature review, combining our technical knowledge of emissions inventories and processes, before researching mechanisms and existing policy actions on a local, national, and international scale.

The technical report has been used as evidence within the WWF’s ‘Land of Plenty’ campaign, which calls on the UK’s central and devolved governments to consider the findings of our report and set out their own decarbonisation strategies for agriculture and land use.

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Jennifer Anderson, Sustainable Scotland Network

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Alina Novikova, UN/ECE Secretariat

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Annette Rattigan-Leo, Chief Sustainable Development and Environment Officer

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Abbas Kitogo, Programme Specialist Energy and Climate Change, UNDP Tanzania

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Umhverfisstofnun, Environment Agency of Iceland

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Matthew Dudley, UNFCCC Secretariat

“We have worked with Aether since 2019 to baseline, and subsequently update, our council and borough greenhouse gas inventories. It is a pleasure working with Aether’s professional, responsive, collaborative and helpful team. ”

Merton Council

“The Aether team were a joy to work with and I would recommend the consultancy - the service provided throughout the process was exceptional.”

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