China Leads in Nitrous Oxide Emissions Surge: A Global Concern

Nitrous oxide emissions surged by 40% from 1980 to 2020, with China as the top emitter. The rise in emissions is largely due to the use of nitrogen fertilizers and animal manure in agriculture. Scientists warn that reducing these emissions is crucial to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius.

Planet-warming nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions increased by 40% between 1980 and 2020, with China being the largest emitter, followed by India and the US, according to a new report.

The study by the Global Carbon Project, a network of climate experts, highlights that 74% of the nitrous oxide emissions in the last decade stem from the agricultural use of nitrogen fertilizers and animal manure.

Nitrous oxide is the third most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and methane and is 273 times more potent than CO2 over a century.