Policy Landscapes
The workshop kicked off by grounding the scientific discussions within the current policy context, examining the implications of the EU Soil Monitoring Law, CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), and the CRCF (Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming) Regulation on soil carbon and nitrogen cycles. Senior scientist Panos Panagos and Emanuele Lugato underscored the significant contribution of agriculture to GHG emissions and the challenges in quantifying non-CO2 emissions, especially the spatially and temporally variable N₂O.
The Imperative of SoilN-Datacube
A significant focus was placed on advancing soil nitrogen modelling and emission accounting. Experts delved into the intricacies of IPCC Tier 2 and Tier 3 modelling approaches, and highlighted the importance of addressing data requirements, refining emission factors, and tackling the challenges of integrating complex process-based models and accounting for all nitrogen pathways.
Advancements in nitrogen monitoring technologies were presented as potential solutions to reduce uncertainties. However, a holistic understanding of nitrogen flows and transformations across systems is crucial. The need for precise and harmonized data to enable higher-tier N₂O reporting methodologies was emphasized.
Focusing on Nitrogen in Life Cycle Assessment
Research Director Cécile Bessou outlined the current state of LCA knowledge, existing gaps, and the need to reduce uncertainties in the nitrogen budget. A critical aspect explored was the balance between accuracy and applicability of approaches, acknowledging the need for robust yet user-friendly models. The workshop also tackled the innovative area of "Bridging Spatial modelling with LCA," recognizing the importance of incorporating geographical variability for more context-specific environmental assessments.