10th International Nitrogen Conference

Nitrogen is a fundamental element for life and a cornerstone of modern society. Through the production of synthetic fertilizers, food production has increased dramatically over the past century, supporting population growth and economic development. At the same time, inefficient nitrogen use in agriculture, food systems, industry, and energy production has led to large releases of reactive nitrogen into the environment, contributing to climate change, air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and other environmental challenges. Balancing the benefits of nitrogen use with its environmental consequences has therefore become a central sustainability challenge.
Because nitrogen is deeply embedded in food systems, energy systems, economic activities, and human well-being, it connects directly and indirectly with many of the major sustainability challenges facing the world today. Viewing these challenges through the lens of nitrogen may therefore reveal opportunities to address multiple problems simultaneously while avoiding unintended trade-offs.
As part of the N2026 program, the RIHN International Symposium brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore how nitrogen can serve as a lens for understanding and addressing interconnected sustainability challenges. Building on RIHN’s long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, the symposium seeks to foster dialogue across scientific disciplines, societal sectors, and governance levels.
Through presentations and panel discussions, participants will explore pathways for linking local and global actions, scientific knowledge and policy processes, and environmental and societal perspectives. The insights generated will contribute to the conference’s Multi-stakeholder Roundtables and help shape a more policy-relevant and stakeholder-informed Kyoto Declaration toward Sustainable Nitrogen Management for Future Generations.

Session 1. Linkages between Global Environmental Challenges and Nitrogen (9:30-12:00)
This session will feature presentations centered on the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Japan, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and has long pursued interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to addressing global environmental challenges. Speakers will explore sustainability challenges from diverse perspectives including reflections on human prosperity and conflict from primatology, the future of agriculture from a landscape farmer who integrates rice cultivation and cattle breeding, the role of meat consumption viewed through both wildlife and livestock systems, and cultural dimensions of human-environment relationships through the emerging field of Japan Environmental Studies. By viewing these topics through the lens of nitrogen, the session aims to identify connections among environmental, social, and cultural challenges and to explore opportunities for addressing multiple issues simultaneously.