Dr Clare Howard

Research interests

I am interested in Carbon and Nitrogen feedbacks in the Earth System and uncertainty in modelling systems; also household carbon and nitrogen footprints / budgets.

Current research

I am involved in coordinating two nitrogen networking and policy initiatives, the European Nitrogen Assessment (ENA) and the Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen (TFRN), both of which then contribute to the work of the European Centre of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI). This is under the umbrella of a post-doc entitled 'Integrating Nitrogen Science in Europe'.

European Nitrogen Assessment: The NinE programme (Nitrogen in Europe: Assessment of current problems and future solutions, European Science Foundation) is leading the preparation of a European Nitrogen Assessment (ENA). This is the first major assessment of its kind, linking nitrogen problems across the traditional scientific disciplines of air, land and water with the full range of societal issues. The ENA will consist of around 25 chapters, each written, re-drafted and reviewed by experts in the relevant fields. More information on the ENA can be found at http://www.nine-esf.org/node/204 .

My coordination involves working with the lead and contributing authors to deliver the assessment, organising the ENA meetings and editorial work. I have a personal involvement in the 'Societal choice and communicating the European Nitrogen challenge' chapter in Section E of the assessment.

Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen: The Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen sits within the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and has the long-term goal of developing technical and scientific information, and options which can be used for strategy development across the UNECE to encourage coordination of air pollution policies on nitrogen in the context of the nitrogen cycles and which may be used by other bodies outside the Convention in consideration of other control measures. Please see http://www.clrtap-tfrn.org/ for more information.

The Task Force operates through Expert Panels and main Task Force meetings. At present, the main focus of the Task Force is on the development of options for the revision of Annex IX of the Gothenburg Protocol, which relates to measures for the control of emissions of ammonia from agricultural sources. These will then be presented to the Working Group on Strategies and Review.

My work with the Task Force involves coordinating and supporting the Task Force and Expert Panel members and meetings, plus developing contacts with other organisations and international conventions – to ensure that the work of the Task Force is well known and integrated with other initiatives where possible.

Brief CV

• May 2008 onwards: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (Edinburgh)
• October 2006-May 2008: Development Officer for the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum (SESEF), which involved promoting the inclusion of Earth Science concepts and teaching within the Scottish school curriculum. I was also involved in developing and raising funds for education projects and devising educational materials.
• I started my PhD in 2002 at CEH's Edinburgh research site and the University of Edinburgh and finished while working for SESEF.  

Publications

Please see also the NERC Open Research Archive.

In preparation: ‘Uncertainty in atmospheric CO2 recovery from fossil fuel perturbation due to the ocean-sediment system’.

Sutton, Mark; Reis, Stefan; Erisman, Jan Willem; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Cellier, Pierre; de Vries, Wim; Beier, Claus; Howard, Clare; Zechmeister-Boltenstern, Sophie. (2010) Nitrogen: the new global challenge. The Parliament Magazine (309). 4-5.

Bleeker, A.; Reis, S.; Britton, C.; Erisman, J.W.; Sutton, M.A.. (2008) Actividades relacionadas con el ciclo del Nitrogeno en Europa. Seguridad Y Medio Ambiente, 111. 22-31.

Lenton T.M., and C. Britton. Enhanced carbonate and silicate weathering accelerates recovery from fossil fuel CO2 perturbations. Glob. Biogeochem. Cycl., 20 (3), 2006.