The National Emission Model for Agriculture (NEMA) is used to calculate emissions to air from agricultural activities in the Netherlands on a national scale. Emissions of ammonia (NH3) and other N compounds (NOx and N2O) are calculated for animal housing, manure storage, manure application and grazing using a flow model for total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN). Emissions from the application of inorganic N fertilizer, compost and sewage sludge, cultivation of organic soils, crop residues, and ripening of crops are calculated as well. The NEMA is also used to estimate emissions of methane (CH4) from enteric fermentation and manure management, nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) and particulate matter (PM) from manure management and agricultural soils, as well as for carbon dioxide (CO2) from liming. Emissions are calculated in accordance with the criteria of international guidelines and reported in an annual Informative Inventory Report (IIR; for air pollutants) and National Inventory Report (NIR; for greenhouse gases). This methodology report provides an outline of and describes the background to the calculation of emissions according to the NEMA.

The objective is to have developed and applied a methodology allowing to assess and quantify the effects and costs of various policies and measures aiming at reducing the impact of agriculture on water air pollution and climate change. Both ancillary benefits and trade offs of measures have to be identified. In this report, the integrated approach of task 1 is described: development of an integrated approach. The model MITERRA-EUROPE is developed in this project. It is a model that can be used to assess the effects of the implementation of ammonia (NH3) and nitrate (NO3) measures and policies on the emissions of NH3, (nitrous oxide) N2O, N oxides (NOx), and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere, leaching of N (including nitrate) to ground water and surface waters, and on the phosphorus (P) balance on both EU-27 level, country level, and regional (NUTS 2) level. It is a tool that can be helpful for tuning different N policies.

This Report describes the results of Task 2 ‘Analysis of International and European policy instruments’. The aim of this task is to analyze the existing International and European policy instruments aiming at reducing emissions of ammonia, nitrous oxide and methane to the atmosphere and nitrate to groundwater and surface waters. Specifically, the study addresses the possible synergies and/or possible antagonisms in these policies, and provides suggestions and recommendations to ensure an optimal coherence.