The Nitric Acid Climate Action Group

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a very potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 265 times higher that of carbon dioxide (CO₂). One major source of N₂O emissions is the production of nitric acid, which is used in the agricultural and in the mining sector.

Aiming at the climate-friendly transformation of the nitric acid sector at global scale, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) initiated the Nitric Acid Climate Action Group (NACAG). The objective of NACAG is to incentivize the installation of effective N₂O abatement technology in every nitric acid plant worldwide. To this end, NACAG is offering partner countries technical and financial assistance.

According to our estimates, the global nitric acid sector has an average annual emission reduction potential of 167 Mio tCO2e until 2030. The NACAG programme is equipped with financial resources to directly enable the reduction of 20 Mio. tCO2e from 2021 until 2025.

The approach of the NACAG initiative reflects the paradigm of the Paris Agreement: Germany is providing climate finance while partner countries are encouraged to assume responsibility for emission reductions in the future.

As a global action group, NACAG is open for all countries to join, either as partner country or as donor.