A comprehensive quantification of global nitrous oxide (N₂O) sources and sinks was conducted by a team of researchers, including Hanqin Tian, Rongting Xu, and others, published in Nature in 2020. The study provides a detailed analysis of N₂O emissions and sinks from 1980 to 2016, incorporating both natural and anthropogenic sources. The research uses bottom-up and top-down approaches to estimate global N₂O emissions, which were found to be around 17.0 teragrams of nitrogen per year (Tg N yr⁻¹) using bottom-up methods and 16.9 Tg N yr⁻¹ using top-down methods. The study highlights that human-induced emissions, primarily from nitrogen additions to croplands, have increased by 30% over the past four decades, contributing significantly to the growing atmospheric burden of N₂O. The findings indicate that N₂O emissions are increasing in emerging economies such as Brazil, China, and India. The study also reveals an emerging N₂O-climate feedback mechanism due to interactions between nitrogen additions and climate change. The research underscores the urgency of mitigating N₂O emissions to align with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement. The study provides a comprehensive global N₂O budget, including 18 sources and various chemical sinks, and highlights the importance of reducing nitrogen use in agriculture and improving efficiency to lower emissions. The results emphasize the need for further research to better understand the complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic fluxes and global environmental changes.A comprehensive quantification of global nitrous oxide (N₂O) sources and sinks was conducted by a team of researchers, including Hanqin Tian, Rongting Xu, and others, published in Nature in 2020. The study provides a detailed analysis of N₂O emissions and sinks from 1980 to 2016, incorporating both natural and anthropogenic sources. The research uses bottom-up and top-down approaches to estimate global N₂O emissions, which were found to be around 17.0 teragrams of nitrogen per year (Tg N yr⁻¹) using bottom-up methods and 16.9 Tg N yr⁻¹ using top-down methods. The study highlights that human-induced emissions, primarily from nitrogen additions to croplands, have increased by 30% over the past four decades, contributing significantly to the growing atmospheric burden of N₂O. The findings indicate that N₂O emissions are increasing in emerging economies such as Brazil, China, and India. The study also reveals an emerging N₂O-climate feedback mechanism due to interactions between nitrogen additions and climate change. The research underscores the urgency of mitigating N₂O emissions to align with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement. The study provides a comprehensive global N₂O budget, including 18 sources and various chemical sinks, and highlights the importance of reducing nitrogen use in agriculture and improving efficiency to lower emissions. The results emphasize the need for further research to better understand the complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic fluxes and global environmental changes.