The International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), chaired by Professor Mark Sutton of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, announces its commitment to support a global goal to halve nitrogen waste by 2030 at the Our Ocean Conference 2018: Our Ocean, Our Legacy in Bali today, 30th of October 2018.
Call for action by John Kerry,
former vice president of the USA, and founder of the Our Ocean Conference (starts at 03:28:00).
INI issued the following written statement summarising its commitment:
- INI commits to support a global goal to halve nitrogen waste by 2030, offering a resource-saving of $100 billion per year globally, by reducing pollution by 100 million tonnes per year, as a key to protecting Our Oceans with quantified co-benefits for water quality, air quality, biodiversity, climate resilience, food and livelihoods.
- INI cannot work alone, but must join with governments, business and citizens globally to achieve this goal, spearheading a holistic approach for nitrogen across the Sustainable Development Goals.
- INI makes this commitment by providing a global science-policy support process for better nitrogen management, the International Nitrogen Management System (INMS), working 2018-2022 in partnership with UN Environment and a global network of over 80 partners from science, governments, agencies, business and civil society. Over this period, the INMS partnership commits a US$ 60M effort, including $6M through the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Prof. Mark Sutton at the Our Ocean Conference 2018
In launching the commitment, Professor Sutton called for collective action saying: “Farming, waste water, transport and industry are polluting Our Ocean with nitrogen compounds, causing dead-zones and killing fish. Nitrogen air pollution threatens our health, climate and ecosystems. If we want Clean Seas and Fresh Air, if we want to meet the 1.5 °C limit, then the World must get serious about Nitrogen. The International Nitrogen Initiative therefore commits to support a global goal to halve nitrogen waste by 2030. It offers a resource-saving of $100 billion per year, reducing pollution by 100 million tonnes.”
Full transcript of Mark Sutton’s announcement to the Our Ocean Conference:
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is an elephant in the room. A flying elephant.
It’s Everywhere and Invisible. The elephant is Nitrogen.
Farming, waste water, transport and industry are polluting Our Ocean with nitrogen, causing dead-zones and killing fish.
Nitrogen air pollution threatens our health, climate and ecosystems.
If we want Clean Seas and Fresh Air, if we want to stay within 1.5°, then the World must get serious about Nitrogen.
The International Nitrogen Initiative therefore commits to support a global goal to halve nitrogen waste by 2030.
It offers a resource saving of $100 billion per year, reducing pollution by 100 million tonnes.
It will help protect Our Oceans, with quantified benefits for air quality, climate, biodiversity and livelihoods.
We cannot do it alone. Come and work with us!
The INI announcement to the Our Ocean Conference 2018 (starts at 06:31:04)
