The International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) was established in 2003 as a joint project between SCOPE and IGBP to address the nitrogen paradox and find solutions to the problems caused by excess nitrogen. INI has regional centers, including INI-Europe which is directed by Wilfried Winiwarter at IIASA. Key areas of focus for INI-Europe include regional nitrogen budgets, effects of nitrogen on ecosystems and human health, and links between nitrogen and phosphorus use and environmental impacts. INI-Europe has produced several reports including the European Nitrogen Assessment and has contributed to several conferences on nitrogen issues.

1. The International Nitrogen
Initiative - INI
Luis Lassaletta

2. Embedding
• INI was established in 2003
• Joint SCOPE and IGBP Project
• Tries to find solutions to the nitrogen paradox
(needed for plant growth, but causing damage
in excess)

3. Regional Centers

4. INI - Europe
• Director: Wilfried Winiwarter, IIASA
• Steering Committee:
– Bruna Grizzetti, JRC – EU, Italy
– Hans van Grinsven, PBL – Netherlands
– Kevin Hicks, SEI – UK
– Maren Voss, IOW – Germany
– Wim de Vries, ALTERRA – Netherlands

5. Key focal areas
1. Regional N budgets and N pathways/emissions
2. N compounds in air and water and their relation to effects on
ecosystems and human health
3. Effects of N inputs on terrestrial ecosystems, in interaction with
air quality and climate change
4. N inputs and effects on aquatic/marine ecosystems
5. Links of N and P use and transfer on food productivity and
adverse environmental impacts
6. Regional boundaries for N and P use in view of food production
and adverse environmental impacts
7. N management across Europe and current best practice in
Europe

6. Achievements - reports
• European Nitrogen
Assessment (ENA)
Sutton et al., 2011
• GPNM-INI report “Our
Nutrient World”
Sutton et al., 2013
• UNEP Synthesis Report
“Drawing Down N2O”
Alcamo et al., 2013

7. Contribution to conferences
• Saltsjöbaden V workshop in Gothenburg,
Sweden
• N2013 - Kampala
• 18th Nitrogen Workshop, Lisbon, Portugal

8. Scientific achievements
• Sutton and Bleeker, 2013: The shape of nitrogen to come
• Winiwarter et al., 2013: Estimating environmentally
relevant fixed nitrogen demand in the 21st century
• De Vries et al., 2013: Assessing planetary and regional
nitrogen boundaries related to food security and adverse
environmental impacts
• Grizzetti et al., 2013: The contribution of food waste to
global and European nitrogen pollution

9. Contacts
• http://initrogen.org/
• http://www.ini-europe.org/
• E-mail: europe@initrogen.org
• Postal address:
International Nitrogen Initiative – European Centre
c/o Austrian Academy of Sciences
Climate and Air Quality Commission
Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2
1010 Wien
Austria