Context: Assessing and managing nitrogen compounds sustainably will be crucial to achieve the 17 UN SDGs targeted for 2030
Key Points

• It is being virtually held by the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) from 31st May-3rdJune 2021.
• INI is an international programme, set up in 2003 under sponsorship of the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and from the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP).

The key aims of the INI are to

• optimize nitrogen’s beneficial role in sustainable food production, and
• minimize nitrogen’s negative effects on human health and the environment resulting from food and energy production.

It is addressed by speakers from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and UN Economic Commission on Europe, etc.

• Focus: Assessing and managing reactive nitrogen compounds sustainably will be crucial to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted for 2030.
• Reactive nitrogen compounds (NOx, ammonia and the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide) impact air, water and soil quality, health, biodiversity and climate change, etc.

Nitrous oxide has upto 300 times higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide.

• These compounds are lost from fertilisers, manures and sewage as well as from fuel burning in transport and industry.

South Asia is one of the global hotspots for nitrogen pollution.

• The Indian nitrogen assessment of 2017 has provided a huge impetus to the UN resolution, as well as to the ongoing South Asian nitrogen assessment.

The Berlin Declaration will be finalised and adopted during the concluding session of the conference on 3rd June.