Beat Nitrogen Pollution
Nitrogen pollution is like a dark, hidden secret. Although nitrogen is an essential element to support life, too much reactive nitrogen poses a serious risk to the environment threatening the climate, nature, and human health. Nitrogen pollution is one of the most pressing pollution issues to date, but the problem is no one is talking about it.
To raise the alarm on nitrogen pollution…
Ambitious actions and strategies
#BeatNitrogenPollution calls for a stronger, more agile, innovative, and forward-looking presence to engage governments, industry, and individuals to adopt an integrated approach towards improving our management of the nitrogen cycle to avoid inefficiencies and waste. Political momentum for collective action on nitrogen is increasing. In 2019, the UN Environment Assembly - the world’s foremost environmental decision-making body - adopted a resolution calling for sustainable nitrogen management, and in 2022, a second resolution was adopted.
“Nitrogen challenge fits squarely within the triple planetary crisis. We can improve the performance of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, boost recycling of nutrients from agriculture, improve wastewater treatment, and reduce food waste." - Inger Anderson
Sustainable nitrogen management is vital to live in harmony with nature on a planet that is pollution-free and climate-stable. Over the past century, reactive nitrogen levels have doubled, contributing to the decline in biodiversity and growth of dead zones in coastal areas as a result from agricultural run-off. The new Global Biodiversity Framework has set a specific target to halve nitrogen waste by 2030 through more efficient nutrient cycling and use. Working towards this target is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and securing a cleaner, healthier environment for future generations.
Interactives
Reports and Toolkits
Partnerships
UNEP’s advocacy campaigns and related initiatives are mediums to promote change, engage diverse voices, showcase best practices, and transform habits, practices, standards and policies around the globe.Initiatives to Follow
#BeatPollution is a UNEP campaign to stop the pervasive impact of pollution on people and the planet's health. The campaign drives rapid, large-scale and coordinated action for a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future. Campaign activities show the impact of pollution on climate, nature and biodiversity, and health, and offer a platform to inspire thriving circular economies and enable the transition to a pollution-free planet.
FORMS OF POLLUTION
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