1.1. Contact organisation
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
e-mail contact : ESTAT-SDG-MONITORING@ec.europa.eu
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
2.1. Metadata last certified
28 March 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
28 March 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
28 March 2025
The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 2 on ending hunger and malnutrition; which is embedded in the European Commission’s 2024-2029 Priorities under 'Sustaining our quality of life: Food security, water and nature'.
SDG 2 - among other things - seeks for sustainable and resilient food production systems. Ammonia (NH3) is a colourless, pungent-smelling and corrosive gas that is produced by the decay of organic vegetable matter and from the excrement of humans and animals. When released into the atmosphere, ammonia contributes to the level of air pollution. The agricultural sector continues to be the overwhelming contributor to ammonia emissions in the EU.
Measures implemented under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Water Framework Directive has lead to EU reductions of ammonia emissions from agriculture since the 1990s. Specifically, measures to change agricultural practices brought about reductions in the use of nitrogenous fertilisers and reduced livestock density per hectare across the EU.
The National Emission reduction Commitments Directive (NEC Directive) sets national emission reduction commitments for Member States and the EU for five important air pollutants, including ammonia.
4.1. Data description
This indicator measures ammonia (NH3) emissions as a result of agricultural production. These emissions result from manure management, applications of inorganic nitrogen fertilisers and animal manure applied to soil, as well as urine and dung deposited by grazing animals.
Data for this indicator come from the EU inventory on air pollution compiled by the European Environment Agency (EEA) under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) and are fully consistent with national air pollution inventories compiled by EU Member States.
Data on the utilised agricultural area (UAA) stem from Eurostat’s annual crop statistics. The definition of this indicator is based on the CAP indicator C45 Emissions from agriculture.
4.2. Unit of measure
tonnes and kg per hectare utilised agricultural area (UAA)
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
See link to the related metadata of the data source.
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
EEA (CLRTAP)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: Reporting under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP)
Data provider: European Environment Agency
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Data are disseminated annually.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+2 years5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated within two years after the reference year (EEA publishes data 18 months after the reference year).
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are comparable between all EU Member States respectively other presented countries.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series starts in 1990.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in an EU context).
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
See table sdg_02_60
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: Eurostat overview.
Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.
