to Mitigate Climate Change

Greenhouse gas emissions are an unavoidable byproduct of nitrogen fertilizers, both at the point of production and farm application. CF works to address both sources of emissions to minimize the footprint of this essential nutrient.

Addressing Our Carbon Footprint —
From the Plant to the Farm

Like many other industrial processes, nitrogen fertilizer production is energy- and emissions-intensive. The basic chemistry required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia — the building block of nitrogen fertilizers — produces carbon dioxide as a chemical byproduct. At CF, we make ammonia in the most efficient way possible by using natural gas as our feedstock. We operate the most efficient, state-of-the-art nitrogen manufacturing complexes in the world, and we make ongoing capital investments to maintain and improve our facilities.

However, the scope to improve the efficiency of ammonia plants is inherently limited by the chemistry of the process. CF will continue to look to increase our manufacturing efficiencies, but we also believe there are substantial opportunities to reduce global GHG emissions by ensuring our products are used in a sustainable manner.

When applications of nitrogen fertilizer to crops are combined with certain soil conditions, greenhouse gases — including nitrous oxide (N₂O) — can be emitted into the atmosphere. CF is addressing these emissions at the farm level by encouraging farmers to implement best management practices through the use of the 4Rs. Research and data show us that we can see a reduction in N₂O emissions from crops if the farmer uses 4R practices.

Another reason that CF is focused on reducing emissions from the use of our products is due to the fact that agricultural emissions represent over a quarter of the global total. A key challenge for the future is that we will need to feed a growing population while also reducing GHG emissions.

Because of this, CF believes it is important that we do our part to help farmers apply our products in a way that minimizes their environmental impact.

GHG emissions from fertilizer application contribute to total agricultural emissions.

CF
believes that farmers
care deeply about their land
and work hard to manage it in an environmentally responsible manner. Nevertheless, nutrient loss — both in terms of air emissions and runoff into adjacent water bodies — is an unavoidable aspect of crop growth. CF is working hard to provide farmers
with the knowledge and tools to minimize nutrient loss while
improving crop yields
and soil health.

The 4Rs are a best practice to reduce GHG emissions in agriculture

ight Source

Choose fertilizer types that are best suited to the properties of soil and the crop being planted.

ight Rate

Use only as much fertilizer as
needed to avoid excess nitrogen being lost into the atmosphere or nearby waterways.

ight Time

Apply fertilizer when crops and their root systems have developed enough to rapidly absorb nitrates.

ight Place

Apply fertilizers in locations that optimize absorption.

The “Plus” in 4R Plus refers to conservation practices that can provide further environmental benefits. They include:

Cover Crops

Add crops to a field’s rotation to enable nitrogen to be used to grow plants rather than being emitted as nitrous oxide (N₂O).

Reduced Tillage

Leave organic matter intact to reduce the release of N₂O from soils.

Buffer Strips

Small areas or strips of land that limit nitrate from getting into surface water and are a good sediment management tool.

CF’s sponsorship of the 4R Plus program in Iowa, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, is helping boost knowledge about these practices among
the state’s farmers
and crop advisers.