by Alison Tyndall | September 1, 2026
Chances are you haven’t thought much about superpollutants, what they are, and why addressing them matters. That’s exactly the problem NRDC’s new whitepaper, Toward Near-Zero Industrial Nitrous Oxide Emissions, sets out to fix, homing in on one specific superpollutant that, if abated at scale, has the permanent power to make a positive impact: nitrous oxide (N2O).
I had the chance to review an early version of this publication, and its scientific yet practical approach truly excites me as someone deeply passionate about this space. Here’s what caught my attention and why the timing is everything.
1. The superpollutant hiding in plain sight no longer
Historically, N2O rarely made headlines the way CO2 or methane has, but that is changing. It’s the third-largest driver of climate change globally, with a warming potential 273 times greater than CO2, and it lingers in the atmosphere for about 120 years. More than 100 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent industrial N2O goes unabated globally every year, and it’s the largest remaining category of substances depleting the stratospheric ozone layer. That’s why it’s gaining more attention from big brands, climate-conscious consumers, and policymakers.
2. How it works: N2O abatement
N2O comes from a range of sources, but the whitepaper zeroes in on industrial N2O, a by-product of nitric acid and adipic acid production. So, how exactly does N2O abatement work? The whitepaper walks through the two main pathways, catalytic decomposition and thermal destruction, and confirms what our own project experience shows: these proven technologies can avoid up to 99 percent of emissions. The abatement unit is installed directly at the production source of the nitric acid or adipic acid, allowing the N2O destruction to occur before harmful gases are ever emitted. The result: permanent and irreversible emissions reductions that can be continuously monitored
3. N2O is gaining recognition, but there is more to be done
This is one of the most sweeping changes in the Directive. ECGT Section 9 explicitly prohibits broad, generic, non-specific environmental claims using terms that consumers cannot independently verify. The following types of language are examples of those terms now banned unless backed by recognized government certification or a compliant third-party certification scheme:
A few facts from the report are worth calling out:
- N2O abatement has direct connections to human health by limiting harmful solar UV radiation.
- N2O abatement is a high-integrity, cost-effective, proven solution that can be implemented and scaled rapidly.
- Just a dozen or so adipic acid facilities in China account for the majority of the world’s unabated industrial N2O. Fully addressing them could eliminate up to 65 percent of global industrial N2O emissions.
- The United States is the second-largest emitter, driven mainly by the roughly half of U.S. nitric acid plants that still lack abatement.
The headline here: Abatement at a global scale has to be the immediate focus.
NRDC’s whitepaper goes into even greater detail on a climate solution we’ve led for 15+ years. We’re proud of the role ClimeCo has played in developing high-integrity crediting protocols and driving real abatement at facilities across the U.S., China, and now India, and we’re glad to see that work reflected accurately here.
About the Author
Alison Tyndall leads global decarbonization efforts for ClimeCo across some of the world’s most challenging sectors, including chemicals and cement, and is recognized internationally for her expertise in super-pollutant abatement. Prior to joining ClimeCo, Alison spent over a decade in global value chains and software development with leading consumer-facing brands, delivering sustainable, technology‑enabled transformations across manufacturing, logistics, and product development.
