Policy

I try to make my research  policy relevant and directly useful to policy-makers.  Below are some projects that have made it into the real world.

Using existing law to manage NUTRIENT pollution

In 2017, I published an article with co-authors from Columbia, Tufts, the University of Virginia, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) on what existing laws in the U.S. could be used to manage nitrous oxide – the third most important greenhouse gas and the largest remaining threat to the ozone layer. Because of the unique chemistry of the nitrogen cycle, reducing nitrous oxide emissions could reduce other forms of nitrogen pollution as well, such as nitrate run-off, and ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions. Each of these forms of nitrogen pollutions come under the purview of a different piece of environmental legislation, which opens up a number of possible legal pathways to explore. Our article got picked up by Earth Justice, an environmental law NGO, which used it as the basis for a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting that it take a closer look at regulating nitrous oxide. The law firm Covington & Burling LLP also used our work as the basis for several legal templates. Follow up projects with the Columbia Environmental Law Clinic and Sciences Po Law Clinic throughout 2021-2023 have led to policy reports and significant media coverage.

Global nitrogen governance

Increasing policy awareness of nitrogen pollution over the past several years has led to a suite of ambitious policy targets organized around the idea of halving nitrogen losses to the environment: from the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy (the food system pillar of the European Green Deal) to the recent post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. I have helped to build this awareness in a number of venues, from writing influential science briefs to hosting interdisciplinary workshops with stakeholders on national nitrogen policy action plans. I wrote the first article outlining the scientific and legal case for transferring nitrous oxide under the control of the international ozone regime. Since then, I’ve organized several events at Montreal Protocol meetings to raise awareness among country delegates and other stakeholders; the idea was picked up by the United Nations Environment Program, which led to a report on nitrous oxide that I co-authored; and I’ve worked with several organizations, including the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Industrial Development Organizations on projects to demonstrate the viability of nitrous oxide emissions reductions across different sectors.

International nitrogen initiative

In July 2022, I was elected Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) - the key interlocutor between the science and policy communities on nitrogen pollution. Since its inception INI has been a vital hub for nitrogen scientists and policymakers to exchange ideas, stimulate new research, and engage with the policy world. Looking ahead, I am excited to improve the representation of the social sciences in INI and to enhance its presence at important international and regional environmental negotiations. We are also exploring a range of funding opportunities to transform INI into the global driver of the nitrogen research agenda.