Climate Working Group - Call for Applications

Call for Applicants: iN-Net Nitrogen and Climate Working Group

We are excited to announce an open call for applications to join the International Nitrogen Network (iN-Net) Nitrogen and Climate Working Group. This will be an international group of interdisciplinary scholars and stakeholders focused on shaping a new research agenda for nitrogen (N) management in the context of climate change.      

The Working Group is part of iN-Net (www.in-net.network), a U.S. National Science Foundation-funded project directed by David Kanter (NYU, INI), devoted to stimulating pathbreaking, policy-relevant research that can underpin national action plans to halve N waste by 2030. The project is a collaboration with a number of science and policy networks, including the UNEP Nitrogen Working Group, the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management and the Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.

The Nitrogen & Climate Working Group, led by Xin Zhang (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science), will closely collaborate with two other iN-Net working groups: Data & Indicators (led by Peter Groffman, City University of New York) and Governance (led by William San Martin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute). Together, the groups will shape the nitrogen  research agenda, addressing key policy and knowledge gaps through:

• Regular meetings (virtual and in-person)

• Expert-stakeholder workshops

• Synthesis, review, meta-analysis and perspective papers

• Grant proposals

• Policy briefs, guidance documents, webinars, and other tools aimed at informing and supporting national action plans.     

Key Goals

The Nitrogen and Climate Working Group seeks to:

• Coordinate and stimulate research on the interplay between N and climate actions. 

• Minimize trade-offs and maximize synergies between national actions plans for N and Nationally Determined Contributions under the international climate regime.

• Consider the implications of major decarbonization strategies (e.g., green ammonia and next generation biofuels) on N waste reduction efforts.

• Explore the effects of different climate adaptation strategies on N use (e.g. the development of more N efficient or drought and heat-resistant crop types). 

Given the centrality of climate in national and global environmental policy discussions, this working group will help to integrate N into those conversations and contribute to improved decision-making.

Focus Areas

As an overarching component of environmental change, climate change has impacts on multiple dimensions of efforts to address N pollution problems. Areas this group plans to focus on include:

• Effects of decarbonization efforts on N flows 

• How climate change and mitigation and adaptation activities influence sustainable nitrogen management efforts. 

• Integrating nitrogen/carbon connections into scientific and policy efforts to address climate change without impeding the effectiveness of national climate and N action plans.

Other focus areas may be identified in consultation with Working Group members.

Terms of Appointment

• Members of the Nitrogen and Climate Working Group will be publicly listed on our website, and their appointment will last for a duration of two years (with the possibility for extension).

• Members are required to attend regular meetings and are encouraged to participate in our annual in-person meeting.

• The working group will collaboratively define specific outcomes, which may include research papers, reports, policy briefs, and other deliverables. Members will be invited to volunteer to lead some of these initiatives or coordinate designated task forces.

Who Should Apply?

We welcome applications from individuals in academia, community-based organizations, civil society, the private sector, and the broader policy arena who are involved in N and/or climate-related issues or possess relevant expertise or experience in the following areas:

• Climate science, sustainable agriculture, N-relevant decarbonization technologies

• National and international climate governance

We are especially interested in scholars and practitioners based in the Global South (broadly defined) or with experience collaborating with organizations and communities in that region. Candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to addressing environmental challenges through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches are particularly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Please submit your C.V. and one-page cover letter, as well as additional professional details on this Google Form.

Deadline for Nominations: 

February 28, 2025

For more information or to submit nominations, please contact: admin@in-net.network