Summary
This meta-analysis reassesses the emission factor currently used to calculate soil NOx emissions from European agricultural soils and manure management by incorporating recently published data from temperate zones. The newly calculated emission factor (0.60%, with wide uncertainty bounds) was not substantially different from the existing standard (1.33%), and continued use of the current factor is recommended pending accumulation of more robust data. The study highlights that whilst non-agricultural NOx sources have declined significantly across Europe since 1990, soil-related emissions from agriculture, forests, and manure management are becoming proportionally more important contributors to atmospheric pollution.
UK applicability
The United Kingdom, as a Western European nation, would be encompassed within this European-scale analysis and policy framework. The findings suggest that UK agricultural NOx emissions warrant increased monitoring and mitigation attention as non-agricultural sources continue to decline, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding current emission factors.
Key measures
Emission factor for NOx from soil (EF NO); percentage reductions in NOx from agricultural sources ('N applied to soils' and 'manure management') and non-agricultural sources by country; relative magnitude of forest versus agricultural soil NOx emissions
Outcomes reported
The study evaluated the current European emission factor for soil NOx (1.33%) by synthesising recently published data from temperate climate zones, and assessed the relative contribution of agricultural, forest, and non-agricultural NOx sources across 42 European countries between 1990 and 2017.
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