Assessing Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Product Use

This report presents an analysis of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from product use, particularly focusing on its applications in the medical and food industries, as well as other product uses. The study leverages data from National Inventory Reports (NIRs) submitted by Annex I parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It examines the deliberate use of N₂O due to its unique properties and the associated emissions, which have significant environmental consequences, including global warming and ozone depletion. Through data compilation, stakeholder interviews, the report identifies key sources of N₂O emissions by application, N2O alternative uses under medical and food industry, classify and analyse N2O emission statistics according to regional categorization from 1990-2021 of the UNFCCC Annex 1 parties and implemented and ongoing policies and regulation. The findings underscore the need for enhanced regulatory frameworks and improved data quality to inform future mitigation policies, particularly the European Union (EU) and other industrialized nations.