Singapore's Sources of N2O Emissions
Key Insights
2024 N2O Emissions Profile
In 2024, Singapore's anthropogenic N2O emissions totalled around 1.3 megatonnes CO2e. Industry was the largest source, at around 0.8 megatonnes CO2e or 60%, and rose by about 0.020 megatonnes CO2e per year over the ten years to 2024. Energy contributed around 0.3 megatonnes CO2e (21%) and declined by 0.007 annually; waste contributed 0.09 (7%) and rose slightly. Other sources accounted for 0.15 (12%) and edged down, while agriculture was 0.01 megatonnes CO2e, below 1%, and declining.
Historic Agriculture Emissions
Agricultural N2O emissions began at around 0.002 megatonnes CO2e in the early 1850s and rose gradually through the following century. They accelerated to a peak of roughly 0.1 megatonnes CO2e in 1977, then fell sharply into the early 1990s. Emissions continued to edge down thereafter, reaching around 0.01 megatonnes CO2e in 2024.
Historic Energy Emissions
Energy-related emissions were around 0.001 megatonnes CO2e in the early 1850s and remained small until the mid-1960s. They then rose from around 0.02 to 0.13 megatonnes CO2e by 2007, before climbing to a peak of roughly 0.35 in 2017. They fell back to around 0.28 megatonnes CO2e in 2024.
Historic Industry Emissions
Industrial emissions started near 0.001 megatonnes CO2e in the early 1850s and remained low until the early 1930s. They then climbed steeply, peaking at roughly 10 megatonnes CO2e in 1998. Emissions subsequently fell to around 0.4 in 2009, recovered partly, and reached about 0.8 megatonnes CO2e in 2024.
Historic Waste Emissions
Waste emissions began near 0.001 megatonnes CO2e in the early 1850s and rose gradually for more than a century. Growth continued from the mid-1960s, with emissions increasing from around 0.01 to 0.04 megatonnes CO2e by the mid-1990s. They kept rising thereafter, reaching their peak of around 0.09 megatonnes CO2e in 2024.
Historic Other Emissions
Other N2O emissions were around 0.02 megatonnes CO2e in the early 1850s and rose gradually until the late 1960s. They increased more rapidly to around 0.14 by the late 1980s, then peaked at roughly 0.22 megatonnes CO2e in 1994. Emissions thereafter varied at a lower level, ending at around 0.15 megatonnes CO2e in 2024.
Background
The chart shows a national breakdown by source of the yearly nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from human activities and processes, expressed as weight in megatonnes (Mt). Human-induced emissions are the main driver of the increasing atmospheric nitrous oxide that is warming our planet. The sources of human nitrous oxide emissions are
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Industry
- Waste
- Other
Agriculture
Emissions related to agriculture are mainly from the use of synthetic fertilizers and manure management.
Synthetic fertilizer, used for agricultural processes, contains a lot of nitrogen. That nitrogen in the soil reacts and causes considerable N2O emissions. The use of excess fertilizer, meaning more fertilizer than the plants can use to grow, causes even higher relative emissions. Applying the right amount of fertilizer at the right time can reduce N2O emissions. There are many technical solutions to reduce emissions while keeping, or even increasing, agricultural yields.
When manure is left on the field or otherwise managed in dry processes, it emits considerable amounts of nitrous oxide. Manure can be managed by wet processes, which reduces nitrous oxide emissions but increases methane emissions. Some technical solutions focus on modifying the animal feed to reduce the nitrogen in the manure, thereby reducing nitrous oxide emissions.
Energy, Industry, Waste, and Other
All non-agricultural categories together have much lower emissions than agricultural emissions alone.
N2O emissions related to energy are almost all from the combustion of fossil fuels. For example, the combustion of fossil fuels in power plants, cars, and airplanes not only causes CO2 emissions but also emits nitrous oxide (N2O). Any advances to reducing fossil fuel dependency will thus also reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
Most industry-related emissions are from the chemical industry for producing fertilizer, nylon, and similar products. Technologies are available to reduce emissions in these processes.
Nitrous oxide emissions from waste come from, for example, wastewater treatment and landfills.
Wikipedia: Nitrous oxideIPCC: AR6, 5.16 Anthropogenic nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions
Units and Measures
N2O emissions are expressed in the total weight in megatonnes per year. 1 Megatonne is equal to 1 million tonnes.
Wikipedia: MegatonneWikipedia: Global warming potential
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via DonorboxAbout the Data
National N2O emissions data through 2024 is from the PRIMAP-hist dataset, which combines several published sources into a historical emissions time series.
The Key Insights paragraph was created using a large language model (LLM) in combination with our data, historic events, and a structured approach for best accuracy by separating the context generation from the interpretation and narrative.
Data Sources
PRIMAP-hist The PRIMAP-hist national historical emissions time series (1750-2024)
Update cycle: Every few monthsDelay: Less than 1 yearCredits: Gütschow, J.; Busch, D.; Pflüger, M. (2025): The PRIMAP-hist national historical emissions time series v2.7 (1750-2024). zenodo. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17090760