How to reduce ammonia emissions from agriculture
Source: https://www.farminglife.com/business/how-to-reduce-ammonia-emissions-from-agriculture-4059814
Author: The Newsroom
As the document points out, action on ammonia is required urgently to achieve better outcomes for nature, and for public health. Addressing this challenge is essential to see agriculture thrive while at the same time protecting our environment. The greater the extent and speed of action to lower ammonia emissions and reduce ammonia concentrations, the greater opportunity there will be to support sustainable farm development. Northern Ireland (NI) has 394 sites of high nature conservation value designated for their protection. Almost 250 of these are sensitive to the impacts of ammonia and nitrogen. The vast majority of designated sites are currently experiencing ammonia concentrations and nitrogen deposition above the critical levels and loads at which damage to plants may occur. As a consequence, sustained and tangible reductions in ammonia are required to protect nature, to meet Northern Ireland’s legal obligations and to ensure a sustainable agri-food sector. Ambitious and achievable targets are required to drive the ammonia reductions required and to protect nature. The long-term target to 2050 is to reduce ammonia emissions to a point where Critical Loads of nitrogen deposition and Critical Levels of ammonia are at a more sustainable and pragmatic place. DAERA has set two 2030 Ammonia Targets. These are: to reduce total NI agricultural ammonia emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels. And reduce ammonia at internationally designated sites by 40% by 2020.