The Warming Climate Aggravates Atmospheric Nitrogen Pollution in Australia
Yi Sun,
Baojing Gu,
Hans J. M. van Grinsven,
Stefan Reis,
Shu Kee Lam,
Xiuying Zhang,
Youfan Chen,
Feng Zhou,
Lin Zhang,
Rong Wang,
Deli Chen,
Jianming Xu
Affiliations
Yi Sun
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Baojing Gu
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; School of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
Hans J. M. van Grinsven
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, PO BOX 30314, 2500 GH The Hague, Netherlands
Stefan Reis
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK; University of Exeter Medical School, European Centre for Environment and Health, Knowledge Spa, Truro TR1 3HD, UK
Shu Kee Lam
School of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
Xiuying Zhang
International Institute for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Youfan Chen
Laboratory for Climate and Ocean–Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Feng Zhou
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Lin Zhang
Laboratory for Climate and Ocean–Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Rong Wang
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Deli Chen
School of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
Jianming Xu
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Australia is a warm country with well-developed agriculture and a highly urbanized population. How these specific features impact the nitrogen cycle, emissions, and consequently affect environmental and human health is not well understood. Here, we find that the ratio of reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses to air over losses to water in Australia is 1.6 as compared to values less than 1.1 in the USA, the European Union, and China. Australian Nr emissions to air increased by more than 70% between 1961 and 2013, from 1.2 Tg N yr-1 to 2.1 Tg N yr-1. Previous emissions were substantially underestimated mainly due to neglecting the warming climate. The estimated health cost from atmospheric Nr emissions in Australia is 4.6 billion US dollars per year. Emissions of Nr to the environment are closely correlated with economic growth, and reduction of Nr losses to air is a priority for sustainable development in Australia.
