


Carbon Reduction Programs
Innovative Programs for Targeted Climate Action – A Success Story.
The use of nitrogen fertilizers is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland’s agricultural sector.
Nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas also known as N2O, is released as a byproduct of the bacterial conversion of nitrogen in agricultural soils, the so-called nitrification and denitrification processes. Further emissions result indirectly from nitrogen lost in the form of ammonia and nitrate through volatilization and leaching.
Innovative climate action in Switzerland’s agricultural sector

Advanced additives to fertilizer formulations stabilize the nitrogen in its ammonia form, thereby considerably reducing nitrous oxide emissions. Due to their cost, however, these nitrification inhibitors are rarely deployed in Europe as well as worldwide.
In Switzerland, First Climate operates a unique program to promote the use of stabilized nitrogen fertilizers and help grow their market share. By making stabilized nitrogen fertilizers available at discounted prices, the program makes them more affordable for farmers.
The program makes use of the compensation mechanism established in Switzerland’s CO2 Law. This mechanism allows reductions of greenhouse gas emissions to be certified and transferred to third parties if the underlying project activities meet certain criteria.
The following stabilized nitrogen fertilizers are currently supported:
- Entec 26
- Novatec 26
- Landor Nitrotec 26
- AM-TEC 26%N-ASS
The program also supports other products with the same composition as Entec 26
The program to reduce nitrous oxide emissions in Swiss agriculture using ammonium-stabilized mineral fertilizers is aimed at Swiss importers of stabilized nitrogen fertilizers (Entec 26, Novatec 26, Landor Nitrotrec 26, AM-TEC 26%N-ASS). Since October 2016, customers and farmers in Switzerland are directly benefitting from the reduced price for stabilized nitrogen fertilizers.
The program to reduce nitrous oxide emissions in Swiss agriculture by means of ammonium-stabilized mineral fertilizers is financed by the KliK Foundation.
The following companies are already participating in the program and sell the stabilized nitrogen fertilizers promoted by the program in Switzerland at a reduced price: