Target setting for nitrogen use efficiency in Scotland
The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan Update sets out an ambition for the agriculture sector to reduce emissions by 31% from 2019 levels by 2032. It also sets a commitment to “work with the agriculture and science sectors regarding the feasibility and development of a SMART target for reducing Scotland’s emissions from nitrogen (N) fertiliser.”
The agricultural sector is dependent on N inputs, both organic and inorganic. The inefficient use of these inputs creates N wastage, impacting air and water quality and the climate.
The global nature of the issue provides an opportunity for Scottish agriculture to learn from other countries on how to improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), i.e. taking action to reduce agricultural N losses while maintaining and supporting the sector in terms of income and yield.
This report explores the potential for setting a NUE target for agriculture in Scotland. It examines N flows found in Scottish agriculture as shown in the Scottish Nitrogen Balance Sheet (SNBS). It provided a clear analysis of the opportunities and barriers.
Conclusions
While this research identified opportunities for setting a NUE target for Scottish agriculture, more work is needed to fully understand the following elements:
- differential flows for each sector
- make appropriate changes to the SNBS
- ensure that the role of legumes in emissions reduction is fully integrated and
- carefully plan communication to achieve support from the farming sector.
A NUE target is not currently the most appropriate option for Scotland, the report concludes. This is partially due to the methodology in the current SNBS.
For further information on the findings, barriers and opportunities, please download the report.
If you require the report in an alternative format, such as a Word document, please contact info@climatexchange.org.uk or 0131 651 4783.