Nitrogen in Europe: Current Status of Environmental Issues, Policies and New Effective Policies to Combat Nitrogen

Ever since the industrial revolution, there has been a growing excess of nutrients and related emissions into the atmosphere (ammonia, nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide) and into groundwater and surface water (nitrate), leading to a large range of cascading environmental impacts. Vehicular traffic, sewage and animal husbandry are the main sources of oxidized and reduced forms of Nr. This report provides an overview of the origin and fate of nitrogen in Europe, the various reported impacts of nitrogen and the European policies to reduce nitrogen emissions and related impacts. A special focus is on the Netherlands, because this country has a long history in nitrogen issues and policies to combat nitrogen. In addition, ways are presented to go forward to potentially solve the problems in a European perspective. Solutions include the improvement of nitrogen efficiencies in different systems, technological options and education.