The fourth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) acknowledged that “in many countries existing policies related to reactive nitrogen are fragmented and incoherent” and called on “ the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to: (a) Consider the options for facilitating improved coordination of policies across the global nitrogen cycle at the national, regional and global levels, including consideration of the case for establishing an intergovernmental mechanism for coordination of nitrogen policies, based primarily on existing networks and platforms, and consideration of the case for developing an integrated nitrogen policy, which could enhance recognition of the need for common action across multiple policy domains;”(UNEA Resolution 4/14)
The fifth Session of UNEA requested the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to: “Identify possible modalities for the options being considered for improved coordination of policies across the global nitrogen cycle at the national, regional and global levels, including, among other options, for an intergovernmental coordination mechanism for nitrogen policies, as specified in subparagraph (a) of resolution 4/14.”(UNEA Resolution 5/2).
The UNEP Working Group on Nitrogen was established pursuant to resolution 4/14 to follow up on the tasks set out in the resolution. Pursuant to resolution 5/2, the scope of the Working Group was expanded to facilitate implementation of the two resolutions and to strengthen the engagement in and ownership of their implementation by Member States and stakeholders.
The Working Group has shared information on voluntary national action plans for sustainable nitrogen management, as available, according to national circumstances. Under the leadership of the Co-Chairs, a baseline screening of existing actions and action plans was conducted, which resulted in the creation of a draft voluntary national action plan with 10 action areas.
In 2024 and 2025, UNEP has supported Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago in the development of national action plans on sustainable nitrogen management.
