1. Objectives and activities of the Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen
37th Nitrates Committee
9th June 2009
Objectives and activities of the
Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen
UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
Samarelli Luisa
European Commission
DG Environment
Unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

2. Summary Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
Gothenburg Protocol
Revision process and its objectives
TFRN activities
The importance of an integrated approach and the role of the Nitrates Directive
Conclusions

3. Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution - 1979
The history of the Convention starts in the 60s, when scientists demonstrated the interrelationship between sulphur emissions in continental Europe and the acidification of Scandinavian lakes
Between 1972 and 1977 several studies confirmed the hypothesis that air pollutants could travel several thousands of kilometres before deposition and damage occurred. Therefore cooperation at the international level was seen as necessary to solve problems such as acidification.
In November 1979 the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution was signed by 34 Governments
The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution entered into force in 1983.

4. Principles of the CLRTAP Convention
Art. 2
Parties shall reduce and prevent air pollution including long-range transboundary air pollution
Art. 3
Parties shall develop policies and strategies in order to combat the discharge of air pollutants, by means of exchange of information, consultation, research and monitoring
Art. 6
Each Party undertakes to develop the best policies and strategies including air quality management systems and control measures, based on best available technology which is economically feasible

5. Status of ratification of the CLRTAP as of 17 December 2008

6. Parties to the Convention

7. Protocols to the CLRTAP
The 1999 Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (25 Parties) - Entered into force on 17 May 2005;
The 1998 Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (29 Parties) - Entered into force on 23 October 2003;
The 1998 Protocol on Heavy Metals (29 Parties) - Entered into force on 29 December 2003;
The 1994 Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions (28 Parties) - Entered into force 5 August 1998;
The 1991 Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes (23 Parties) - Entered into force 29 September 1997;
The 1988 Protocol concerning the Control of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes (32 Parties) - Entered into force 14 February 1991.
The 1985 Protocol on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30 per cent (23 Parties) - Entered into force 2 September 1987;
The 1984 Protocol on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP) (42 Parties) - Entered into force 28 January 1988.

8. Gothenburg Protocol
The objective of the protocol is to control and reduce emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile organic compounds caused by anthropogenic activities and likely to cause adverse effects on human health, ecosystems, materials and crops, due to acidification, eutrophication or ground level ozone as a result of long-range transboundary atmospheric transport
The Protocol sets emission ceilings for 2010 for four pollutants: sulphur, NOx, VOCs and ammonia 
Once the Protocol is fully implemented, Europe’s sulphur emissions should be cut by at least 75%, its NOx emissions by 49%, its VOC emissions by 57% and its ammonia emissions by 15% compared to 1990

9. Status of ratification of the Gothenburg P. as of 17 December 2008

10. Prohibit the use of ammonium carbonate fertilizers
Annex IX to the Gothenburg Protocol MEASURES FOR THE CONTROL OF EMISSIONS OF AMMONIA FROM AGRICULTURAL SOURCES Obligations
While requiring each Party to take due account of the need to reduce losses from the whole nitrogen cycle, it sets several measures:
Establish, publish and disseminate an advisory code of good agricultural practice to control ammonia emissions. The code shall include provisions on:
Nitrogen management, taking account of the whole nitrogen cycle;
Livestock feeding strategies;
Low-emission manure spreading techniques;
Low-emission manure storage systems;
Low-emission animal housing systems;
Possibilities for limiting ammonia emissions from the use of mineral fertilizers
Take appropriate measures to limit ammonia emissions from the use of solid fertilizers based on urea
Prohibit the use of ammonium carbonate fertilizers

11. Annex IX - Obligations Manure application
Slurry should be applied using techniques which ensure en emission reduction of at least 30% compared to the reference (as far as the Party in question considers them applicable, taking account of local soil and geomorphologic conditions, slurry type and farm structure)
Solid manure applied to land to be ploughed shall be incorporated within at least 24 hours after spreading (as far as it considers this measure applicable, taking account of local soil and geomorphologic conditions and farm structure)
Manure storage
new slurry stores on large pig and poultry farms (2,000 fattening pigs/750 sows/40,000 poultry) should be built in such a way in order to ensure an emission reduction of 40% or more compared to the reference
For existing slurry stores on large pig and poultry farms, each Party shall achieve emission reductions of 40% (insofar as the Party considers the necessary techniques to be technically and economically feasible)
Animal housing
new animal housing systems on large pig and poultry farms should be built in such a way in order to ensure en emission reduction of 20% or more compared to the reference

12. Revision process of the Gothenburg Protocol
In 2007 the Executive Body decided to start the revision process of the 1999 Gothenburg Protocol, establishing the Task Force for Reactive Nitrogen, taking into account the following :
The GP notes that measures to reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides and ammonia should involve consideration of the full biogeochemical nitrogen cycle
The nitrogen cycle is multimedia in nature and it is beneficial to have coordinated regulatory frameworks to address various aspects and issues
The technical documents related to the GP need to be updated to take into account of the most recent scientific and technological developments

13. Task Force Reactive Nitrogen
the TF is composed of experts from the Parties to the Convention, under the leadership of UK and NL
the long term goal of the TF is to develop technical and scientific information which can be used for strategy development across the UNECE to encourage coordination of air pollution policies on nitrogen
the TF has to work on
developing a better understanding of the integrated, multi-pollutant nature of reactive nitrogen
assessing emissions, transport, budget, fluxes and effects of nitrogen
continuing the work of the former Expert Group on Ammonia Abatement on regular updating the “Guidance document on control techniques” and the “Framework advisory code on good agricultural practice”
preparing options for revising Annex IX of the Gothenburg Protocol

15. The integrated approach Why is it important to reduce emission in an “integrated way” ?
Pollution swapping to:
other pollutants - generally seen as a response to policies and measures that focus on one N loss form
other areas – mostly by the transfer of manure

16. Effect of abatement measure for NH3 emissions
The integrated approach
Effect of abatement measure for NH3 emissions
Antagonistic effects of policies
Source: “Integrated measures to reduce ammonia from Agriculture”
(Consortium ALTERRA- University of Bonn, IIASA)

17. Effect of abatement measure for NO3 leaching
The integrated approach
Effect of abatement measure for NO3 leaching
Synergistic effects on N input control measures
Source: “Integrated measures to reduce ammonia from Agriculture”
(Consortium ALTERRA- University of Bonn, IIASA)

18. Role of the Nitrates Directive
Sensitivity scenario (NEC revision)
Full implementation ND
Balanced fertilization scenario
Low protein feed to reduce nitrogen excretion
Reduction in livestock density
Results show
fertilizer use will decrease by 20% compared to national projections for 2020 (and 25% lower than 2000)
9% ammonia emission reduction (310 kt) as a « side effetct »
Additional costs for achieving TSAP objectives will decrease by 50 % (option 2: €bn/year - Setting national ceilings for 2020 for all five pollutants (incl. PM2,5) in a least-cost way so that all objectives of the TSAP are met in option ND: €bn/year)

19. Conclusions Main new contents of Annex IX of the GP Under discussion
Introduction of a new section on nitrogen cycle
Recognizing synergies and stimulating N efficiency as tool of N losses reduction
Introduction of a new section of feeding strategy
Low-protein animal feeding strategies, adjusted to the requirements of the animal (growth stage and performance)
For each % decrease in protein content of the animal feed, ammonia emissions from housing, storage and application are decreased by 5-15%, depending on pH
Low-protein animal feeding also decreases N2O emissions
New section of cattle (storage – housing, as for pig and poultry)
New section on manure processing activities
New more ambitious objectives – tiered approach