1. WORKING PARTY "AGRICULTURE and ENVIRONMENT" of the Standing Committee for Agricultural Statistics December Policy needs related to N cycle
Samarelli Luisa
European Commission
DG Environment
Unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

2. New AEI : Why?
To better understand nitrogen cycle and transformations between different species
To better understand influencing factors
To identify best measures for reducing losses
Nitrate leaching
Ammonia emissions
Nitrous oxide emissions
To adapt and improve agricultural practices to minimize impact on the environment
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

3. Sectional approach NO3 and Water Framework CAP Natura 2000
Biodiversity 2010
Water pollution
NO-3
Cultural heritage
Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Agriculture
N- deposition
Acidification
Eutrophication
NEC directive
CLRTAP
NH3
Health
Impact
AQ Directives
N2O
Secondary
Particulate matter
This chaotic slide gives us an idea of what is happening today and therefore highlights the important of an integrated approach.
Emissions coming from the agricultural sector and the industrial one lead to a large number of problems for ecosystems and health.
Nitrates, ammonia and NOX affect in a synergic way the environment but are now faced by sectional legislation.
One directive or regulation could, therefore, be helped in achieving its objective by others, even if these are not intended for that scope.
Climate
Change
Kyoto Protocol
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil 3

4. Pollution swapping Pollution swapping to:
That’s also because the implementation of one directive could just « transfer » contamination to another environmental sector or to another area.
So if we look at the entire cycle, we see that there are inputs of N into the system – manure application, fertilizer application, atmospheric depositions – and there are output from the system – harvested crop and livestock products.
Within the system (the pipe) transformations take place and N species may escape.
If we block one or 2 holes in the pipe we have as a result an increased fluxes from other holes, unless the input is decreased and/or the total output is increased.
Pollution swapping to:
other pollutants - generally seen as a response to policies and measures that focus on one N loss form
other areas – mostly by the transfer of manure
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

5. Effect of abatement measure for NH3 emissions
Antagonistic effects of policies
As a first result of the study it should be pointed out that some effects of measures intended to reduce ammonia emissions can lead to increased losses of nitrogen and N2O emission.
The best example of this is the « low ammonia application techniques » which promote nitrate leaching. For example the injection of fertilizers into sandy soils leads to leaching of nitrates towards groundwater.
Therefore this technique should be applied under certain condition, in order to reach both objectives of reducing ammonia emissions and reducing the leaching risk of nitrates.
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

6. Effect of abatement measure for NO3 leaching
Synergistic effects on N input control measures
Measures intended for reducing nitrate leaching have a synergistic effect.
They are really effective also to reduce ammonia and N2O emissions.
That’s because they are intended to reduce the total nitrogen input – balanced fertilization, no winter application….
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

7. Need for Integration « biodiversity » policies « air » policies
« water » policies 
« climate change » policies
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

8. Agricultural system What ? Animal feeding strategy When ? Households
NO-3
Manure storage
NH3
Manure application
How much ?
N2O
This chaotic slide gives us an idea of what is happening today and therefore highlights the important of an integrated approach.
Emissions coming from the agricultural sector and the industrial one lead to a large number of problems for ecosystems and health.
Nitrates, ammonia and NOX affect in a synergic way the environment but are now faced by sectional legislation.
One directive or regulation could, therefore, be helped in achieving its objective by others, even if these are not intended for that scope.
Mineral fertilizer application
How ?
………
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil 8

9. Example: Manure application
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

10. Integrated Approach
“Integrated measures to reduce ammonia from Agriculture”
(Consortium ALTERRA- University of Bonn, IIASA)
Objectives:
Assess impact of various set of measures on water, ammonia and green house gases
Identify and assess “most promising” measures
I will briefly explain the main outcomes of the study carried out for the commission by Alterra and the University of Bonn.
This study was intended
to assess impact of present measures on water, ammonia end greenhouse gases
To analyse the present legislation and international instruments
To identify the most promising measures to reduce ammonia
To assess the impact of an extension of the IPPC directive
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

11. Nitrate Directive Scenario
N losses in ND scenario
Nitrate Directive Scenario
14 %
16 %
Full implementation
Optimization of NVZs designation
This graphic shows the effect of the full implementation of the nitrate directive.
Compared to 2000, the full implementation of ND – which is intended for the protection of waters - will incidentally cause the reduction of ammonia emissions by 14%!!! (compared to the situation in 2000).
This means a half of the objectives of the TSAP.
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

12. Figures – NH3 NH3 emissions in 2000 (for EU 27): 3488 k ton/year
NH3 emissions in 2020 if Nitrate Directive fully implemented: 2989 k ton/year (-14%)
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

13. Figures – N2O N2O emissions in 2000 (for EU 27): 377 k ton
N2O emissions in 2020 if Nitrate Directive fully implemented: 354 k ton (-6%)
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

14. Nitrates Directive Objectives
Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources.
Objectives
Reducing water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources.
Preventing further such pollution.
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

15. Nitrates Directive Obligations for Member States
Water monitoring (surface waters, groundwater and marine waters)
Identification of polluted waters (or at risk of pollution if measures are not taken)
Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) designation
Establish a code or codes of good agricultural practice
Establish Action Programmes in NVZs (mandatory only in NVZs if designated or to the while territory if NVZs are not designated)
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

16. Nitrate Directive Action Programmes (1)
Measures to be included in the Action Programme
Closed periods for fertilizers application
Minimum requirements for capacity and construction of storage facilities
Limitation of land application taking into account:
Soil conditions
Climatic conditions
Land use – crop rotation systems
Balanced fertilisation based on crop needs, N in soil, N net mineralisation, N additions from fertilisation (both organic as mineral)
Maximum application standard of 170Kg N/ha from livestock manure
Involves correct N excretion figures + estimates of gaseous N-losses from stable/storage.
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

17. The Nitrate Directive Action programmes (2)
Land application on water-saturated, flooded, frozen or snow-covered ground
Distance rules towards water courses
Land application on steeply sloping ground
Procedures for land application guaranteeing uniformity of spreading (and reducing losses of ammonia)
(Voluntary)
Land use management
Soil cover crop during winter period
Establishment of fertiliser plans
Management of irrigation systems
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

18. N losses in most promising measures scenario
Low protein animal feeding (decreasing of N content in manure)
Balanced N fertilization
Optimal combination (1+2+technical measures to decrease ammonia emissions)
19 %
Most promising measures were identified:
Low protein animal feeding, which brings to a decreased content of nitrogen in manure
Balanced fertilization and therefore a decreased use of fertilizer
A combination of the first two plus a set of measures intended for abatement of ammonia emissions.
We can see that the optimal combination cause a further reduction of ammonia emission of 19 % compared to the ND scenario.
Low protein animal feeding (-10% N content in manure)
Balanced fertilization (N surplus = 0) in all farms
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

19. Figures – NH3 NH3 emissions in 2000 (for EU 27): 3488 k ton/year
NH3 emissions in 2020 if Nitrate Directive fully implemented (and nothing more): 2989 k ton/year (-14%)
NH3 emission in 2020 if Nitrate Directive fully implemented + NH3 abatement measures + full balanced fertilization: 2416 K ton (another - 19%)
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

20. Figures – N2O N2O emissions in 2000 (for EU 27): 377 k ton/year
N2O emissions in 2020 if Nitrate Directive fully implemented (and nothing more): 354 k ton/year (-6%)
N2O emission in 2020 if Nitrate Directive fully implemented + NH3 abatement measures + full balanced ferilization: 2416 K ton/year (another - 3%)
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil

21. Possible developments
How to better evaluate emissions from agricultural activities (NH3 and N2O)
How to improve performances on NH3 / N2O in the implementation of the Nitrate Directive? (..new ceilings…)
How to identify the most effective measures for Reactive Nitrogen abatement?
Animal feeding strategy
Fertilization strategy
Application techniques (number of farmers using injectors/precision machinery)
Manure storage (% covered storage vessels) and housing
DG Environment – unit Agriculture, Forests and Soil