The link between the nitrogen challenge and intensive animal agriculture

Intensive animal agriculture contributes to the nitrogen challenge in two critical ways.

Firstly, vast amounts of the world’s crops are fed to intensively farmed animals, which require synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to grow efficiently. However, nearly 80 per cent of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers run-off into aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems or are lost to atmospheric conversion. The Time Magazine article, 'Penguins are key indicators of the ocean's health' by Compassion's Global CEO Philip Lymbery and Leticia Carvalho, former head of the Marine and Freshwater Branch of the UNEP, illustrates how industrial animal farming impacts the welfare of animals and the environment, with fertilisers being a big source of pollution in the ocean.

Secondly, intensively farmed animals produce high volumes of nitrogen-rich manure. When not properly managed, this manure produces reactive forms of nitrogen which contribute to air pollution, seriously impacting human and animal health.

Why we need to optimise nitrogen use

We believe that it is crucial to address the nitrogen challenge. Excessive and inadequate nitrogen use contributes to air and water pollution, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil depletion, land degradation and biodiversity loss. Science shows we have far exceeded the planetary boundary set for nitrogen, and as the world’s population and consumption per capita continues to grow, there is an urgent need to optimise nitrogen use. This will help to improve livelihoods and food security, protect ecosystems, and help combat climate change.

Reactive nitrogen compounds, such as ammonia (NH₃), nitrates (NO₃) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) are major pollutants. These compounds primarily originate from agricultural activities, industrial chemical production, and fossil fuel combustion. Agriculture is the dominant source of nitrogen pollution globally, driven by growing global food demand and inefficiencies along the entire food supply chain.

Tackling the nitrogen challenge

Sustainable nitrogen management offers solutions, by balancing nitrogen inputs (from fertilisers and manure), with how much crops actually need, while minimising harm to soil, water, air, biodiversity and climate. Managing nitrogen efficiently is fundamental for long-term food security, since it can improve agricultural productivity and soil health in a world where food systems are already vulnerable to climate change. Beyond improving agricultural practices, it is also essential to address consumption patterns. Reducing excessive animal-sourced food consumption in overconsuming populations and cutting food waste across the supply chain, can be powerful measures to tackle the nitrogen challenge.

The issue of how diet and food waste are key to tackling nitrogen, one of the greatest pollutants of our time, are discussed in The Scotsman by Philip Lymbery and Leticia Carvalho.

Promoting sustainable nitrogen management