Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation

Abstract Nitrogen fertilizer application causes emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a gas that contributes to global warming. N2O emission reduction is possible given technological advances. But climate policy for N2O reduction faces challenges caused by complex information, entangled risks with invis...

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Main Authors: Tongzhe Li, Yong Liu, Alfons Weersink, Claudia Wagner-Riddle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:npj Sustainable Agriculture
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00078-w
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author Tongzhe Li
Yong Liu
Alfons Weersink
Claudia Wagner-Riddle
author_facet Tongzhe Li
Yong Liu
Alfons Weersink
Claudia Wagner-Riddle
author_sort Tongzhe Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Nitrogen fertilizer application causes emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a gas that contributes to global warming. N2O emission reduction is possible given technological advances. But climate policy for N2O reduction faces challenges caused by complex information, entangled risks with invisible gains, and polarized values. Behavioral factors influence farmers’ decision-making, and here we argue context-dependent experimentation is needed to develop N2O reduction policies, proposing crop insurance as an example policy.
format Article
id doaj-art-99843bedb0ff4d96bb64e9193ca1ea99
institution DOAJ
issn 2731-9202
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Sustainable Agriculture
spelling doaj-art-99843bedb0ff4d96bb64e9193ca1ea992025-08-20T03:10:35ZengNature Portfolionpj Sustainable Agriculture2731-92022025-06-01311410.1038/s44264-025-00078-wGuiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentationTongzhe Li0Yong Liu1Alfons Weersink2Claudia Wagner-Riddle3Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of GuelphDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of GuelphSchool of Environmental Sciences, University of GuelphAbstract Nitrogen fertilizer application causes emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a gas that contributes to global warming. N2O emission reduction is possible given technological advances. But climate policy for N2O reduction faces challenges caused by complex information, entangled risks with invisible gains, and polarized values. Behavioral factors influence farmers’ decision-making, and here we argue context-dependent experimentation is needed to develop N2O reduction policies, proposing crop insurance as an example policy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00078-w
spellingShingle Tongzhe Li
Yong Liu
Alfons Weersink
Claudia Wagner-Riddle
Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
npj Sustainable Agriculture
title Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
title_full Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
title_fullStr Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
title_full_unstemmed Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
title_short Guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
title_sort guiding policies for agricultural nitrous oxide emission reduction with behavioral insights and experimentation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00078-w
work_keys_str_mv AT tongzheli guidingpoliciesforagriculturalnitrousoxideemissionreductionwithbehavioralinsightsandexperimentation
AT yongliu guidingpoliciesforagriculturalnitrousoxideemissionreductionwithbehavioralinsightsandexperimentation
AT alfonsweersink guidingpoliciesforagriculturalnitrousoxideemissionreductionwithbehavioralinsightsandexperimentation
AT claudiawagnerriddle guidingpoliciesforagriculturalnitrousoxideemissionreductionwithbehavioralinsightsandexperimentation