Hotspots of reactive nitrogen loss in China: Production, consumption, spatiotemporal trend and reduction responsibility. (1st September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luo, Zhibo; Liang, Xia; Lam, Shu Kee; Mosier, Arvin R.; Hu, Shanying; Chen, Deli
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 284(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-01
• Subjects: Reactive nitrogen -- Hotspots identification -- Spatiotemporal trend -- Reduction obligations; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117126
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Effective and fair mitigation measures hinge on the identification of hotspots and tracking provenance on reactive nitrogen (Nr) loss at a high spatial resolution. We assessed the Nr loss intensity in China at 1 km spatial resolution from 1980 to 2015. The total Nr loss increased from 20.2 to 54.5 Tg N yr −1, with hotspots (>100 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ) concentrated in the North China Plain, the Middle and Lower Yangtze River and the Sichuan Basin. The Nr loss hotspots covered less than 20% of the Chinese territory but contributed more than 90% of total Nr loss since 1990. Geographical disparity in Nr loss has increased and calls for a fair regional policy synergy. Compared to managing Nr loss based only on production, we demonstrate that the estimation of Nr loss responsibility driven by consumption has greater potential to allocate a fair share of responsibility for reducing Nr loss. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The hotspots of reactive nitrogen (Nr) loss in China were identified in 1980–2015. <20% of the Chinese territory contributed >90% of the national Nr loss since 1990. A fair share of Nr loss reduction obligation should target more on the demand side.