The hole in the ozone layer was one of the most serious climate emergencies in human history. There were fears it would have a huge impact on humans, wildlife, and plants. As a result, the world came together to tackle the problem. Key here was the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to ban the production and use of ozone depleting substances (HFCs). While there were fantastic results, including recovery of the ozone layer, we still have climate problems. Nitrous oxide has now become a serious threat. We want to have a closer look here to see why it is vital to control emissions. Things like more effective fertiliser use are vital to achieve this.

The biggest risk to global warming

At the time of the hole in the ozone layer, HFCs were the biggest cause of depletion. Nitrous oxide was only seen as a minor contributor. However, today it is the main concern. This comes after a huge 40% rise in emissions between 1980 – 2020. In fact, a report from the UN last year said it was a super polluter.

Nitrous oxide also causes problems because it persists for so long. On average it spends 120 years in the atmosphere. The key thing is it does not oxidise in the lower atmosphere. Instead, it only breaks down when it reaches the stratosphere. Ultimately, it causes more severe global warming than carbon dioxide.

What to do?

A large volume of the nitrous oxide emissions comes from farming. The key is nitrate fertiliser is added to fields to help crops grow. However, it can make its way into the atmosphere. It is notorious for leaking from soil rapidly, entering rivers and lakes, and ultimately becoming nitrous oxide.

Nitrate can also become harmful emissions because of soil microbes. They can breathe it in place of oxygen. Then they release nitrogen gases. Some of this is dinitrogen, a harmless gas, but it can also be nitrous oxide.

Tackling the problems requires a lot of careful interventions. Reducing the use of fertilisers is the easiest option. However, because they are so useful for increasing crop yields and securing food supplies, it is tricky to do.

An intervention that can provide fantastic results is to ensure farmers apply fertiliser at the right times. The goal should be to ensure applications take place when plants are actively growing. It will ensure they are more likely to take up the nitrate. However, only add more nitrogen if there is a shortage in the soil; there’s no need to do it if it’s already full. Fertilising fallow land is unwise.

Avoiding spreading fertilisers on wet ground is a good idea too. If it’s wet, it leads to higher runoff. As a result, more nitrogen will end up in waterways.

There are a number of different options for inhibitors too. Using them can reduce the amount of nitrous oxide. However, they aren’t particularly popular due to the costs and concerns about effectiveness in different soils.

Ultimately, managing nitrogen more effectively is very important. It can provide a wide array of benefits for various stakeholders. On a global scale, it can help to ease the speed of climate change and ozone damage. Locally, it can protect waterways and the environment. On a farm by farm basis, it can reduce costs and ensure better results for inputs.

Talk to us about fertiliser

The use of fertilisers will always divide opinion. On one hand they are necessary for growing food. However, at the same time producing and using them has an impact on the environment. The solution is to use and manage them effectively. Luckily we’re seeing fantastic improvements in various parts of the world, including a reduction in over-use in many countries.

If you do want to use fertiliser, we’d be happy to help. JS Hubbuck Ltd has been supplying it for decades, including quality products from leading brands. You can order from us and arrange delivery. We can even advise you about key things if you need pointers. So, get in touch today.