Reducing meat and dairy consumption, fertiliser use and food waste are factors that could contribute to halving nitrogen pollution from food production and agriculture in Europe, a new study has claimed.
The Appetite for Change report was compiled by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), the European Commission, Copenhagen Business School and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) of The Netherlands.
It states that while nitrogen is ‘vital’ for plant growth, excessive and inefficient use of this nutrient means that up to 80% of it leaks into the environment, in the form of ammonia and nitrogen oxides; the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide; and nitrate, which affects water quality.
According to the report, as a result of inefficiencies in production, the nitrogen use efficiency of the food system in Europe is only 18%.
Among the recommendations of the report are:
- Halve average European meat and dairy consumption, promoting plant-based diets
- Improve efficiency in fertiliser application and manure storage
- Reduce food waste by both retailers and consumers
- Enhance wastewater treatment to capture nitrogen from sewage
- Provide financial incentives for environmentally friendly foods
- Adopt public sector catering contracts favouring sustainable food choices
- Develop coherent policies addressing both food production and consumption
- Mobilise farmers, industry, government, and consumers for collaborative efforts
- Establish governance platforms at national, regional, and local levels for effective coordination
‘A broad package of actions’
“Action does not begin and end at the farm gate; it requires a holistic approach involving not only farmers but policymakers, retailers, water companies and individuals,” commented Professor Mark Sutton of UKCEH, one of the editors of Appetite for Change. “It is also not saying we should all become vegan. Our analysis finds that a broad package of actions including a demitarian approach (halving meat and dairy consumption) scored most highly in looking to halve nitrogen waste by 2030.”
The report builds on a previous study, published in 2014, which stated that the food system in Europe, especially livestock, accounts for 80% of the continent’s nitrogen emissions. It noted that growing vegetables and other plant produce is ‘more efficient’ than livestock agriculture, requiring less land and fertilisers.
Price increases
Elsewhere, the report notes that the increase in energy, fertiliser and food prices since 2021 has underlined the need to “address the vulnerability of the current food system,” says Dr Adrian Leip, environmental scientist at the European Commission, who is lead editor of the report.
“Plant-based diets require less land and fertilisers, reduce energy use and increase our resilience to the current multi-crises: food, energy, climate. Freeing up land to restore habitats would help tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.”
A ‘balanced’ approach
Examining 144 scenarios related to meat and dairy consumption, agricultural practices, and wastewater treatment, the Appetite for Change report identified that a ‘balanced’ approach, including halving meat and dairy consumption alongside enhanced farm and food chain management, could result in a 49% reduction in nitrogen waste, with the highest net societal benefit.
Elsewhere, a plant-based diet combined with ambitious technical measures was found to potentially reduce nitrogen waste by 84%, but this scenario did not offer a net societal benefit due to the stringent actions required to achieve it.
