Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fertilizer Use

Dr Mba is the Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In this capacity, he provides strategic and thought leadership for the extensive global portfolio of normative and operational interventions that assist FAO’s Members to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through the transition to more efficient, resilient, and inclusive crop production systems. Previously, he led the Seeds and Plant Genetic Resources Team of the Division, with responsibility for the genetic gains component of the work on sustainable crop production systems.

Francesco N Tubiello heads Environment Statistics at FAO, where he developed the FAOSTAT agrifood systems emissions database. With a MSc in Applied Sciences and a PhD in Earth Systems Science from New York University, he is lead author of several IPCC reports investigating the linkages between climate change, agriculture and food security. He was recently recognized by Reuters among the world’s 200 most influential climate change scientists. At FAO, Francesco leads data collection from countries in support of monitoring agrifood systems sustainability.

Floor van Dam works for systems change company Systemiq in the Amsterdam Office, where she focuses on the interplay between the nature-positive and energy transition. At Systemiq she has advised governments and the private sector on industry decarbonisation pathways, focusing on green hydrogen and ammonia production. She has also been closely involved in the publication “Reducing emissions from fertilizer use" by Systemiq and the International Fertilizer Association. In addition, Floor uses her analytical background in physics to take a systematic approach when analysing systems.

Frank Brentrup is R&D Lead for Sustainability & Strategic Research at Yara’s Research Centre Hanninghof in Germany. His leads a team of scientists focusing on sustainability aspects of crop nutrition and mineral fertilizer in particular. Frank has a background in agricultural life-cycle assessment and plant nutrition and holds a PhD in agricultural sciences from the University of Hanover. Since 1996 he works for Yara International and today he is Yara’s representative in international organizations and initiatives such as the Cool Farm Alliance, GlobalGAP, the European Nitrogen Expert Panel and Fertilizers Europe.

David Kanter is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University and the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative. His research examines new policy options for addressing nutrient pollution and how to manage the transition to a global agri-food system consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to his current position, David was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Earth Institute at Columbia University. He received his BSc in Chemistry and Law from the University of Bristol in the UK and his MA and PhD in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy from Princeton University.

Stephanie van der Poel has a background on political science and environmental management and works as a Programme Management Officer at the Source-to-sea Unit focusing on Nutrient pollution at UNEP. UNEP provides secretariat services to the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (GPNM), a global multi-stakeholder partnership working to address the Nutrient challenge.

Patrick Heffer is the Deputy Director General of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) Patrick’s current duties include general management of the Association, member relations, business development, science & agronomy, plant nutrition technologies & innovation, regional strategy and management of projects. At the regional level, Patrick leads IFA’s Africa program. Before joining IFA in 2002 and leading its Agriculture Service, Patrick spent 15 years with the seed industry, including five years with the International Seed Federation, and two years with FAO’s Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service. He is on the Steering Committee of the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (since 2013). He served on the Board of the Africa Fertilizer & Agribusiness Partnership (2011-19) and was Co-Coordinator of the Fertilizer Working Group of the UN Global Crisis Response Group (2022).