Halving nitrogen pollution is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study shows that reactive nitrogen (Nr) pollution could be roughly halved by managed urban development in China by 2050, with significant declines in atmospheric emissions and Nr to water bodies. While rural-urban migration increases point-source emissions in cities, it also promotes large-scale farming, reducing rural pollution. An investment of approximately US$ 61 billion yields an overall benefit of US$ 245 billion, highlighting the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this approach.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Jan 09, 2024
Authors
Ouping Deng, Sitong Wang, Jiangyou Ran, Shuai Huang, Xiuming Zhang, Jiakun Duan, Lin Zhang, Yongqiu Xia, Stefan Reis, Jiayu Xu, Jianming Xu, Wim de Vries, Mark A. Sutton, Baojing Gu
Tags
nitrogen pollution
urban development
Sustainable Development Goals
environmental impact
economic benefits
managed development
China
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