Overview, aims and scope

This chapter presents an overview of the volume, introducing the background and setting out the aims and scope of the workshop and this book. Ammonia emissions primarily originate from agricultural sources and present a substantial contribution to a wide range of environmental problems (see as well Sutton et al., Atmospheric ammonia – detecting emission changes and environmental impacts – results of an expert workshop under the convention on long-range transboundary air pollution. Springer, Heidelberg, 2009; Managing the European nitrogen problem: a proposed strategy for integration of European research on the multiple effects of reactive nitrogen. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh, 2009; The European nitrogen assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2011; Our nutrient world: the challenge to produce more food and energy with less pollution. Global overview of nutrient management. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh, 2013; Philos Trans R Soc London, Ser B 368(1621):20130166, 2013), ranging from the deposition of acidifying substances and excess nutrients on soils, the formation of secondary inorganic aerosols, climate change and nutrient loads for freshwater and coastal ecosystems (Galloway et al., Bioscience 53:341–356, 2003). Yet, ammonia emissions have to date not been subject to stringent emission control policies, in contrast to sulphur dioxide or nitrogen oxides. As a consequence, ammonia emissions and the agricultural activities they originate from are discussed in detail, with the aim to identify the most promising emission sources and policy options to reduce their harmful environmental effects.