European Research Strategy

Managing the European Nitrogen Problem

A proposed strategy for integration of European Research on the multiple effects of reactive nitrogen

A new document, "Managing the European Nitrogen Problem" has been published that proposes a future strategy for European nitrogen research in the period 2011 to 2016.

The Research Strategy emphasizes the need to develop an integrated approach to understand and manage the multiple effects of reactive nitrogen in the environment.

The document reflects the thinking developing within the UNECE-CLRTAP Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen, and clearly highlights the challenge to link scientific issues and communities as a basis to provide a more informed foundation for future policy development. 

It has been prepared by the co-chairs of the TFRN, in collaboration with the chairs of the Nitrogen in Europe (NinE) programme of the European Science Foundation, the chairs of COST Action 729, the Scientific Steering and External Advisory Groups of the EU NitroEurope Integrated Project and the European Centre of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI).

Documents

Download the full document: Managing the European Nitrogen Problem (High Resolution, pdf, 15Mb)

Download the full document: Managing the European Nitrogen Problem (Low Resolution, pdf, 1 Mb)

Download the Executive Summary:  Managing the European Nitrogen Problem (High Resolution, pdf, 3.5 Mb)

Download the Executive Summary:  Managing the European Nitrogen Problem (Low Resolution, pdf, 0.5 Mb)

If you would like hard copies of either of the above documents, please fill in a request form.

Consultation

The document is being distributed to scientists, policy-makers and other stakeholders. We encourage you to circulate it to relevant officials responsible for European and national research programming. It is most important that you give them your views.

In addition, we encourage you to send written comments on this document in one of two ways:

Please see the next section for key questions we would like you to consider in your responses.

Responses received at the TFRN Office before 17:00 on 1 October 2009 will be synthesized to develop the next stage of the nitrogen research strategy.

Comments received after this date will be useful for further refinement as the strategy develops.

Key Questions

The document provides a starting point for discussion among EU Member States and other parties to the international conventions on the priorities for future research into the multiple effects of reactive nitrogen in the environment.

We invite your comments on the following questions:

a. Do you agree that a more joined-up approach to European nitrogen research is needed and will have benefits for future policy development?

b. Do you consider that the proposal made in this document is appropriately ambitious and yet outlines an achievable level of communication and integration between scientific communities?

c. What are your views on the relative priorities between the five key societal threats of excess nitrogen (global radiative balance, air quality, water quality, biodiversity and soil quality) and the need to balance these against the societal benefits, especially for global food and energy security?

d. How much should the programme give particular attention to the challenges related to managing Nr in the food chain as the largest global source of Nr, as compared with other sources such as energy production, industry and transport?

e. To what extent should the programme address the global scale, given the importance of EU policies for global Nr use and the associated threats, and the potential for Europe to provide a guiding model for other regions worldwide?

f. Are there other key scientific or policy issues related to nitrogen that are currently missing or poorly represented in the present document?

Please visit the 'feedback form' page to upload your comments on the above questions