The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it will seek to reduce emissions of industrial greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide in the United States, marking a new phase in the national climate change strategy under the Paris Agreement.
The U.S. has previously taken steps to reduce methane emissions and launched an international campaign urging other countries to make significant cuts as well, while also achieving some domestic emission reductions.
Similar to methane, nitrous oxide has a short-lived presence but a significant impact on global warming. Thus, the U.S. hopes that targeting this gas will allow for quick and cost-effective progress in addressing climate change.
"Most discussions about climate change focus on carbon dioxide, but super pollutants like methane and nitrous oxide account for half of the climate change we're experiencing today," said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President on International Climate Policy.
The White House launched this effort on Tuesday through an event and announced that some industrial companies, such as Ascend Performance Materials, are voluntarily taking action to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
Nitrous oxide emissions come from a variety of sources, including certain fertilizers and the production of synthetic materials like nylon.
