Nitrogen is a challenge that requires international action. Hear from the international experts on the grand challenge we face, and from activists seeking to put nitrogen at the top of the climate agenda in the build up to COP26.

Nitrogen is a grand challenge for agriculture. The climate impact of nitrogen has been overlooked for too long. Meeting the aim to feed the human population adequate diets along with the ambition to keep global warming below 1.5C mean radical action on nitrogen is urgent. 

Making the change we need to see means combined action in multiple areas, which include:

• Reducing reliance on – and use of – synthetic fertilisers
• Shifting global diets away from high meat consumption
• Incentivising farm practices that are based on sustainable nutrient management, such as agroecology.

This session brings together international experts who outline the scale of the nitrogen challenge for farming; small-scale farmers from the global south to explore the challenges and opportunities around managing nitrogen, and; activists working to achieve global commitments to reduce nitrogen excess at the international climate conference, COP26. 

The availability of active nitrogen is a key issue in the research project the Soil Association is currently undertaking with partners in the UK and France.