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Key messages: More measures are needed in agriculture to meet the emission reduction commitments for ammonia. NH3 emissions reduced by only 16% over the period 2005-2022.
Ammonia emissions from agriculture and other sources in the EU-27, 2010-2022
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The National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive (NECD) sets obligations to reduce national emissions of five pollutants, namely fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), ammonia (NH3) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) (EU, 2016). The directive sets emissions reduction commitments for 2020-2029 and more ambitious ones from 2030 onwards.
NH3 is one of the gases adversely affecting the environment. The agriculture sector is the principal source of NH3, responsible for 93% of emissions (EEA, 2024).The primary sources are livestock and animal production, manure handling and storage, livestock housing, and applying manure or slurry and artificial fertilisers to land.
NH3 emissions reduced by only 16% over the period 2005-2022 (EEA, 2024). Given the limited progress towards the targets of the NECD and with several Member States still projected to miss their reduction commitments, the European Commission’s Third Clean Air Outlook concluded that current measures will not sufficiently reduce emissions to meet commitments (EC, 2022).
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Zero Pollution Action Plan 2030 target or policy objectives
- Achieve air quality levels that do not create significant negative impacts on and risks to human health and the environment.
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References and footnotes
- EU, 2016, Directive 2016/2284 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants (OJ LL 344/1 17.12.2016).↵
- EEA, 2024, Air pollution in Europe: 2024 reporting status under the National Emission reduction Commitments Directive, Briefing No 07/2024.a b
- EC, 2022, Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Third Clean Air Outlook’ (COM(2022) 673 final).↵