What is Nitrous Oxide?

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the most significant ozone-depleting substance (ODS) and the third most important greenhouse gas (GHG) in the world today, being 273 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). Left mostly unchecked, total annual human-caused N2O emissions have increased 40% in the last forty years, undermining global efforts to heal the ozone layer and meet climate emissions targets.

The majority of human-caused N2O emissions come from agriculture, largely through the overuse of synthetic fertilizers and manure; however, other sources that contribute significantly include industrial emissions from the production of nitric acid, adipic acid, and caprolactam. Nitric acid is an ingredient in the manufacture of nitrogen-based fertilizers and explosives, while adipic acid and caprolactam are used to manufacture high-strength nylons, used for carpets, tires, and many textiles. N2O emissions from industrial sources and the energy sector make up about 14% of the anthropogenic total, and these emissions are almost entirely avoidable through existing low-cost abatement technologies. Abatement technologies to remove N2O emissions from industrial production and the energy sector are widely available and well-established. 

At a time when N2O emissions are accelerating faster than ever before, urgent climate action must address N2O emissions that have been ignored in the international policy arena. Strengthening national and regional regulations to tackle industrial N2O emissions – and plugging the gaps where no such regulations exist – requires a coordinated global effort. EIA works to raise attention to these long-overlooked emissions and calls for ambitious action at national, regional, and international levels to mitigate the super-polluting and avoidable industrial N2O emissions.