Bangkok, 23 February 2024

As a pre-seminar to UNEA-6, the Sustainable Nitrogen Management Seminar, addressed the significant yet underrepresented issue of nitrogen management in Asia and globally, and provided a platform for EANET Participating Countries to enhance their understanding of the nitrogen challenge. Organized virtually by EANET, with the support of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, through the EANET Project Fund, the Seminar gathered around 100 participants. It aimed to explore strategies for sustainable nitrogen management through experts’ lectures and discuss the accumulation of nitrogen data within the EANET framework.

The seminar, facilitated by Ms. Aurélia Lemoine (Session 1) and by Bert Fabian (Session 2) from the Secretariat for the EANET, hosted by UNEP, started with an opening address by Mr. Yu Kamei, Director for International Cooperation at the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.

.

Global Trends and Insights

Dr. Ning Liu,  Programme Management Officer, Source to Sea Pollution Unit, UNEP, presented updates on the UNEP Working Group on Nitrogen, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing nitrogen-related challenges. Prof. Kentaro Hayashi, Professor, at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Japan emphasized the interconnectedness of nitrogen issues with the atmosphere and the overall narrative surrounding nitrogen management.

Dr. Wilfried Winiwarter, a Senior Research Scholar from the Pollution Management Research Group, Energy, Climate, and Environment at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria, presented the use of nitrogen budgets for sustainable management, highlighting comprehensive approaches to tackle nitrogen-related issues. Dr. Kazuya Nishina, a Senior Researcher at the Earth System Division (Biogeochemical Cycle Modeling and Analysis Section), from the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES),  introduced the Japan Nitrogen Waste project, underlining the importance of national inventories in understanding nitrogen dynamics.

.

EANET’s Role in Nitrogen Management

Dr. Hiroyuki Sase, Head of the Ecological Impact Research Department, ACAP, presented the potential of EANET in contributing to sustainable nitrogen management, emphasizing the importance of monitoring nitrogen cycles comprehensively. Dr. Le Ngoc Cau, Deputy Director General, Viet Nam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change (IMHEN), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Viet Nam, highlighted efforts in Viet Nam to identify and control nitrate pollution in water bodies, reflecting the global significance of nitrogen management.

The seminar featured Q&A sessions, where participants raised questions regarding the implications of ammonia as a new fuel and the role of nitrogen in European farming practices. Discussions revolved around the need for enhanced collaboration and the significance of localized approaches in nitrogen management strategies.

.

Moving Forward

Wrapping up Part I, Prof. Hayashi emphasized the pivotal role of EANET in addressing atmospheric aspects of nitrogen management, stressing its direct and indirect contributions to sustainable practices. Dr. Sase concluded Part II by highlighting EANET’s extensive data accumulation efforts, emphasizing its potential to understand nitrogen flows comprehensively. Experts reiterated the importance of EANET’s role in nitrogen management, emphasizing the need for continued collaboration and data-driven approaches.

.

Find out more about the EANET Project Fund

.

Useful Resources

Panelists’ Presentations

1. Update on UNEP Working Group on Nitrogen by Mr. Liu

2. The overall story about the nitrogen issue connected to the atmosphere by Prof. Hayashi

3. Using nitrogen budgets for sustainable nitrogen management by Dr. Winiwarter

4. The Potential of EANET to Contribute to Sustainable Nitrogen Management by Dr. Sase

.

Photo credits: featured photo by Dr. Mingqun Huo, all rights reserved.