Author
Listed:
- Baojing Gu
(Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University)
- Xiuming Zhang
(The University of Melbourne)
- Shu Kee Lam
(The University of Melbourne)
- Yingliang Yu
(Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
- Hans J. M. Grinsven
(PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency)
- Shaohui Zhang
(Beihang University
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)
- Xiaoxi Wang
(Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK))
- Benjamin Leon Bodirsky
(Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK))
- Sitong Wang
(Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University)
- Jiakun Duan
(Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University)
- Chenchen Ren
(Zhejiang University)
- Lex Bouwman
(PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Utrecht University)
- Wim Vries
(Wageningen University & Research)
- Jianming Xu
(Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University)
- Mark A. Sutton
(UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)
- Deli Chen
(The University of Melbourne)
Abstract
Cropland is a main source of global nitrogen pollution1,2. Mitigating nitrogen pollution from global croplands is a grand challenge because of the nature of non-point-source pollution from millions of farms and the constraints to implementing pollution-reduction measures, such as lack of financial resources and limited nitrogen-management knowledge of farmers3. Here we synthesize 1,521 field observations worldwide and identify 11 key measures that can reduce nitrogen losses from croplands to air and water by 30–70%, while increasing crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by 10–30% and 10–80%, respectively. Overall, adoption of this package of measures on global croplands would allow the production of 17 ± 3 Tg (1012 g) more crop nitrogen (20% increase) with 22 ± 4 Tg less nitrogen fertilizer used (21% reduction) and 26 ± 5 Tg less nitrogen pollution (32% reduction) to the environment for the considered base year of 2015. These changes could gain a global societal benefit of 476 ± 123 billion US dollars (USD) for food supply, human health, ecosystems and climate, with net mitigation costs of only 19 ± 5 billion USD, of which 15 ± 4 billion USD fertilizer saving offsets 44% of the gross mitigation cost. To mitigate nitrogen pollution from croplands in the future, innovative policies such as a nitrogen credit system (NCS) could be implemented to select, incentivize and, where necessary, subsidize the adoption of these measures.
Suggested Citation
Baojing Gu & Xiuming Zhang & Shu Kee Lam & Yingliang Yu & Hans J. M. Grinsven & Shaohui Zhang & Xiaoxi Wang & Benjamin Leon Bodirsky & Sitong Wang & Jiakun Duan & Chenchen Ren & Lex Bouwman & Wim Vrie, 2023.
"Cost-effective mitigation of nitrogen pollution from global croplands,"
Nature, Nature, vol. 613(7942), pages 77-84, January.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:nature:v:613:y:2023:i:7942:d:10.1038_s41586-022-05481-8
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05481-8
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Citations
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Cited by:
- Zehui Liu & Harald E. Rieder & Christian Schmidt & Monika Mayer & Yixin Guo & Wilfried Winiwarter & Lin Zhang, 2023.
"Optimal reactive nitrogen control pathways identified for cost-effective PM2.5 mitigation in Europe,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
- Penghui Wang & Rui Ding & Wenjiao Shi & Jun Li, 2024.
"Potential Reductions in the Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Production in Hubei Province, China,"
Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-17, March.
- Xiaolin Yang & Jinran Xiong & Taisheng Du & Xiaotang Ju & Yantai Gan & Sien Li & Longlong Xia & Yanjun Shen & Steven Pacenka & Tammo S. Steenhuis & Kadambot H. M. Siddique & Shaozhong Kang & Klaus But, 2024.
"Diversifying crop rotation increases food production, reduces net greenhouse gas emissions and improves soil health,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
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