Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from fertilizer use account for approximately 40% of Canada’s agricultural GHG emissions. To meet the national target of a 30% reduction by 2030 (below 2020 levels), we need better data, better metrics—and better alignment with how farmers make decisions.

The new canN₂Onet initiative, featured in Environmental Research Letters (Daly et al., 2025), brings together researchers, producers, industry, and government in a coordinated national effort to:

-Establish benchmark sites across major grain and oilseed regions for year-round N₂O monitoring
-Investigate soil processes driving emissions, including hot spots and hot moments
-Understand farmer decision-making through behavioral economics
-Validate bottom-up models with Canada’s first regional “tall tower” for GHGs
-Develop a centralized N₂O emissions database and decision support tools for producers and policymakers

By integrating natural and social science with advanced monitoring and modeling, canN₂Onet offers a scalable framework for balancing food production, farm profitability, and climate goals.

For more information, click here!