Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 10/6/20


Carbon dioxide dominates the greenhouse gas (GHG) story planet-wide. But did you know there is a more potent GHG you probably haven’t heard about? It’s nitrous oxide (N2O), agriculture’s quiet but formidable contribution to climate concerns. 
A Small Player with Big Impact

N2O represents only seven percent of all GHG emissions, rendering it a minor player compared to CO2 and methane. But N2O has significant, lesser-known, implications. In the atmosphere, N2O absorbs (and radiates) more energy than other gases and can linger for decades, according to the EPA. It’s not just an atmospheric sweater, but an electric blanket above us.

Scientists believe this double threat gives N2O 300 times more warming power than CO2, making N2O an important target for reduction. Because N2O is shorter-lived aloft (compared to CO2’s multi-generational existence), reducing N2O levels could have a quicker impact on climate stability.

Because the bulk of human-contributed N2O originates from agricultural soil management (up to 80% in the U.S.), smart farming principles could change the game. Researchers from NC State’s Crop and Soil Sciences and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) are pioneering research methodology to understand and harness the power of our soil to affect climate change.

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