Aims & Vision
The main goal of the hub is to establish a research partnership between the UK and South Asia, to promote sustainable nitrogen management in South Asia.
Our vision is for South Asia to lead the way in managing nitrogen effectively, driving positive change towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) worldwide. We aim to:
- Reduce poverty and hunger by promoting sustainable farming methods that produce more food with fewer chemicals.
- Improve health and well-being in cities and communities by tackling air pollution, waste management, and disease prevention.
- Take action on climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and promoting climate-resilient practices in food production.
- Protect water resources by reducing pollution and addressing threats like coral bleaching.
- Preserve biodiversity by understanding and mitigating the impact of nitrogen pollution on ecosystems, especially in the Himalayan region.
Innovative Approach
To achieve our vision, we're taking innovative steps, including:
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Using a challenge-driven Theory of Change for the nitrogen cycle.
For the first time, we have brought all the SACEP partner countries together to address the multiple ways that human nitrogen use threatens food security, environmental quality, human health and wellbeing, exploring how a joined-up approach could help overcome the barriers.
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Emphasis on the economic and societal value of nitrogen.
India spends $7 billion annually on its nitrogen fertilizer subsidy, while the total Nr lost to the environment exceeds $10 billion. This highlights the opportunity to make savings through better N management. At the same time, the health, ecosystem and climate impacts of Indian nitrogen pollution have been valued $75 (40-150) billion per year, pointing to the need to integrate the direct and indirect benefits.
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A new regional approach with SACEP as inter-governmental partner.
Previous efforts in the region have focused on UK-India (e.g., NEWS India-UK, INEW). One of the lessons has been the importance of developing a 'country cluster' approach, enabling mutual learning between countries, while allowing transboundary pollution and trade concerns to be addressed.
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Official Development Assistance (ODA) Amplification.
The GCRF office has indicated a preference to move beyond India for ODA in this call. We use this as a stimulus for an innovative concept we term "ODA Amplification", whereby the UK contribution is catalytic to mobilize sharing of leading expertise between South Asian countries, which would otherwise not have happened.
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Engaging with and involving diverse types of group.
Applied research on the nitrogen cycle has often worked with one or more actor groups (e.g., farmers, civil society, business, governments), but rarely with all these groups. The innovative approach adopted allows the hub to broker better understanding between fundamentally different perspectives as a foundation for durable change.
The engagement of all 8 SACEP partner countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) is at the heart of promoting environmental diplomacy in a region of major historical sensitivities, while developing a coherent message to share with other world regions. This includes sustained engagement through the United Nations Environment Assembly.