Assessing the contribution of soil NOx emissions to European atmospheric pollution

Summary

This meta-analytic assessment evaluated the emission factor currently used to calculate soil NOx emissions from European agricultural soils and manure management by synthesising recently published temperate-climate data. The authors found that the newly calculated average emission factor (0.60%) was not materially different from the existing regulatory value (1.33%) owing to substantial uncertainty in the small evidence pool, and recommended continued use of the current factor pending accumulation of further empirical data. The work highlights that as non-agricultural NOx sources decline across Europe, soil-related emissions from agriculture, forests, and manure management become proportionally more significant contributors to atmospheric pollution.

UK applicability

The study covers 42 European countries and includes temperate climate data relevant to the United Kingdom. UK-specific emissions data and forest contribution would be embedded within the Western European analysis, suggesting the findings and emission factor recommendations are directly applicable to UK agricultural policy and atmospheric pollution accounting under the National Emission Ceilings Directive.

Key measures

Emission factor (EF NO) for soil NOx; percentage change in NOx emissions by source category (1990–2017); proportion of total NOx emissions attributable to agriculture, manure management, and forest soils; regional comparisons between Eastern and Western European countries

Outcomes reported

The study evaluated emission factors for soil NOx from agricultural categories across 42 European countries and assessed the relative contribution of agricultural versus non-agricultural NOx sources between 1990 and 2017. It found that whilst total European NOx emissions fell by 55%, agricultural emissions declined modestly, increasing agriculture's share from 3.6% to 7.2% of total NOx.

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