Environment and Climate Change Committee launches new inquiry into nitrogen
4 February 2025
The Environment and Climate Change Committee has launched an inquiry into nitrogen.
Focus of the inquiry
The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, chaired by Baroness Sheehan, has launched an inquiry into efficient nitrogen use.
Nitrogen (N) is a naturally abundant element with nearly 80% of the Earth’s atmosphere composed of the inert gas di-nitrogen, N2. Over the last century, conversion of N2 into reactive forms has increased significantly through the Haber-Bosch process – primarily for fertiliser production – and the burning of fossil fuels.
Nitrogen pollution has significant public health and environmental impacts: on water quality, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, ecosystem health and biodiversity, and soil quality. The significant losses of nitrogen to air and water from agriculture, industry, wastewater, and transport also constitute a wasted resource. The UK has a range of targets relating to diverse aspects of nitrogen pollution, but many are reported to be off track in the Office for Environmental Protection’s latest progress report. Policy on nitrogen to date has focused on particular impacts within separate sectors.
The inquiry will consider the efficient use and management of reactive nitrogen. It will seek to understand how excess reactive nitrogen could be captured and re-used and potential solutions for reducing nitrogen pollution, highlighting opportunities and challenges across sectors. It will also consider the coordination of Government policy on nitrogen across departments and how Government could take a more holistic, strategic approach to nitrogen management. The committee’s focus is on England, as most relevant matters are devolved in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Aims
The aims of this inquiry are to:
- Highlight and explore the opportunities for capture and reuse of existing reactive nitrogen within sectors to minimise waste.
- Understand barriers to sustainable nitrogen management approaches within sectors.
- Review changes to the nitrogen cycle and its balance over time and associated challenges.
- Understand the gaps in current policy and the effectiveness of regulation in addressing nitrogen pollution.
- Understand how Government departments and associated agencies coordinate efforts on nitrogen management and whether this could be done more effectively.
Questions
The Committee is seeking answers to the following questions:
General
- What are the main sources of nitrogen pollution in the UK? How and why have these changed over time?
- How could nitrogen pollution be mitigated from relevant sectors, how effective are these approaches, and are there any trade-offs?
- What solutions and technologies are available to increase nitrogen reuse and recycling, including in agriculture, waste, wastewater, industry, and transport sectors?
- What future developments could further increase nitrogen pollution, and how could those risks be reduced?
Impacts
- What are the ecological impacts of nitrogen pollution in the UK and what implications do these have for national environmental and net zero targets?
- What are the public health impacts of nitrogen pollution and how are these accounted for in current government plans and targets?
- What are the economic impacts of nitrogen pollution and current nitrogen-mitigation policies, for the public, farmers and other stakeholders?
Government policy and regulation
- How effective is existing policy at regulating and reducing nitrogen pollution? How could they be improved? Are there gaps?
- How effective is monitoring and enforcement of nitrogen-related regulations?
- Does current policy incentivise the capture and reuse of ‘waste’ nitrogen and, if not, what policy changes could support greater reuse of nitrogen?
- What are the pros and cons of taking a more holistic approach to nitrogen management in policy, and what opportunities to do so exist?
Best practice
- What examples of best practice relating to monitoring, regulation or management of nitrogen should be considered, including international examples?
Chair’s comments
Baroness Sheehan, Chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, said:
“Nitrogen is an essential element for the abundance of life on earth, the fertility and health of the planet as well as plant and human well-being.
"However, it is very clear that too much reactive nitrogen causes pollution and has significant environmental and public health impacts: on water quality, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, ecosystem health and biodiversity, and soil quality. It is also clear that existing measures to curb nitrogen pollution fall short in managing it effectively.
"The committee wants to hear from individuals and organisations impacted by nitrogen pollution; it will consider how Government and those involved in practices involving the use of and removal from the environment of nitrogen compounds could take a more holistic, strategic approach to nitrogen management, it will also consider how existing Government policy on nitrogen is coordinated across departments and whether it is fit for purpose.”
Further information
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