Sustainable Nitrogen Management

Desideratum of the Decade and Afar. In this article, Dr Anil Pratap Singh highligths that there is an urgent need for sustainable nitrogen management as nitrogen pollution threatens to become a major environmental challenge in the years to come.

- Dr Anil Pratap Singh

Nitrogen and its compounds lavishly present in the nature are vital for sustenance of life at the threshold, but their disproportionate amounts threaten human health, biodiversity, livelihoods, and overall well-being. In the recent past, the amount of nitrogen in chemically reactive forms has almost doubled. Due to relevance to most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), scientists are now harmonizing and hastening with the United Nations (UN) towards the goal to halve nitrogen waste by 2030. There is an urgent need of global action diversely— as nitrogen pollution is before us to pose problems as a major environmental challenge.

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) gravely highlighted intensification of the levels of reactive nitrogen in its fourth session that was held in Nairobi (Kenya) during March 11–15, 2019. Here, the first-ever ‘UN Resolution on Sustainable Nitrogen Management’ was adopted and created provisions for smooth progress of coordination of policies across the global nitrogen cycle at the national, regional, and global levels. In this assembly, the Government of India played a momentous role and led the resolution on nitrogen pollution towards global accord which entails a down-to-earth programme of action.

Ineluctability of Nitrogen for Lives on Earth