5. Conclusions and outlook

Despite the efforts made by the chemical industry and, in particular, the manufacturers of nitric and adipic acid, this sector still discharges 28 kt of N ₂ O annually. Techniques are available today to produce these acids while minimizing the production of nitrous oxide, both in the treatment of gases released into the atmosphere, and during the production of these acids.

While a major effort has been made in the chemical industry to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, some sectors can still make efforts to reduce anthropogenic N ₂ O flows, particularly the agricultural environment, which currently remains the leading source of N ₂ O.