The name laughing gas is a bit misleading, as it is not as harmless as it seems. Laughing gas is known from the laughing gas cartridges, but it is also a relatively unknown and potent greenhouse gas. The amount of laughing gas in the atmosphere has increased by more than 20 percent since 1980 and continues to rise by about 1 percent every 3 years. Like CO2, laughing gas has a long residence time in the atmosphere (over a century), while for methane it is 10 years. The contribution of laughing gas to global warming since 1960 is estimated to be about 6 percent, making it an important long-lived greenhouse gas after CO2 and methane.
The First International “Laughing Gas” Report from 2024
At the end of last year, the first international scientific overview report focused entirely on laughing gas and possible measures to reduce global emissions of it without jeopardizing food security was published.
The human-induced increase in laughing gas is largely caused by the production and use of fertilizers and the increase in animal manure due to more livestock farming worldwide (image 1). The emissions of laughing gas are linked to those of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonia (NH3). These short-lived nitrogen components are much better known in the Netherlands than laughing gas, as they are important for the nitrogen problem and air quality.
Nitrogen and Climate
For the climate effect of nitrogen, both the short-lived nitrogen components and the long-lived laughing gas are important. Laughing gas is a greenhouse gas and contributes to climate warming. The emissions of nitrogen oxides and ammonia contribute to the formation of fine particulate matter (aerosols). These fine particles have a cooling effect on the climate. Net, globally reducing nitrogen emissions has a warming climate effect in the short term, but the long-lived greenhouse gas laughing gas is decisive for the climate in the long term. Globally countering the emissions of laughing gas can significantly contribute to combating climate warming. Locally reducing the emissions of nitrogen oxides and ammonia helps to counteract the deterioration of nature and air quality.
The international report also advocates for “sustainable” nitrogen management: continuing to leverage the benefits for food security while minimizing the disadvantages for nature, health, and climate as much as possible. To limit climate warming, reducing laughing gas emissions is the most important. Moreover, laughing gas also contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer and, to a limited extent, to global nitrogen deposition (image 2).