The Global Partnership on Nutrient Management （GPNM） was established in response to the growing ‘nutrient challenge’—the need to reduce excess nutrients in the global environment while supporting sustainable development. GPNM provides a platform for governments, UN agencies, research institutes, the private sector, and civil society to build and collaborate on a shared agenda. It aims to drive integrated assessments to inform and mainstream best practices, enabling policymakers, practitioners and investors across multiple sectors to effectively address the dual challenges of feeding the world and reducing nutrient pollution. GPNM is one of the pillars of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA). We need all hands on deck, please join GPNM.
This newsletter was developed to keep our partners, stakeholders, and the broader community informed and engaged with the latest progress in nutrient management. Our goal is to share key updates and milestones from the GPNM network, while also offering opportunities for engagement, collaboration, and learning. In this edition, we provide an overview of the key events and activities led by GPNM during the first half of 2025.
Table of Content
- GPNM Technical Webinar Series
- GPNM at 2025 Partner Forums
- GPNM Steering Committee Meeting
- Farewell to Ms. Itsuki Kuroda, GPNM Co-Chair
- Nutrients related News
- Upcoming Events
GPNM Technical Webinar Series
The GPNM organised a series of technical webinars to share information and highlight the importance of nutrient flows and their impacts on global society in 2025. This initiative was conducted in collaboration with several organizations and featured inputs from countries like Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, and Uruguay. The series aimed to identify and promote effective solutions for nutrient management.
Nutrient recycling and recovery from sewage sludge can greatly reduce the demand on synthetic fertilisers, offsetting around 13% of the global fertiliser demand in agriculture. Recovering these nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) prevents them from being lost to the environment, thus reducing pollution pressure on marine and freshwater ecosystems and reducing biodiversity loss. This webinar showcased a few projects that are working to reduce phosphorus pollution in the environment through innovative phosphorus recycling and recovery approaches.
In March 2022, during the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), Member States adopted Resolution 5/2 on “Sustainable Nitrogen Management.” The resolution encourages countries to accelerate efforts to significantly reduce nitrogen waste globally by 2030 through improved sustainable nitrogen management. It also requests the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to support Member States in developing national action plans.
In response to this call, UNEP has supported several countries—including Trinidad and Tobago—in formulating National Action Plans on Sustainable Nitrogen Management. This webinar highlighted the experiences and lessons learned by Trinidad and Tobago throughout the development of their national action plan.
This event was jointly conducted by the GPNM, Centre for Sustainable Nitrogen and Nutrient Management (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University), and the Sustainable India Trust (SIT). It sought to enhance engagement between academia, civil society, industry and governments on sustainable nutrient management and appreciation of their roles and synergies in ensuring a timely transition towards sustainability for the benefit of all. This webinar showcased an assessment of nitrogen fluxes, impacts, and solutions in South Asia, featuring expert perspectives from Bangladesh, India, and the Maldives.
GPNM at 2025 Partner Forums
GPNM at the 2025 Bonn Climate Change Conference
GPNM co-organised a workshop titled “Sustainable Nitrogen Management: A Way Forward for Climate, the Environment and Food Security” during the Bonn Climate Change Conference on 16 June 2025. The event explored how nitrogen waste and pollution are reflected across the Rio Conventions—governing climate change, biodiversity, and desertification—and highlighted how sustainable nitrogen management can deliver just, inclusive, and enduring progress towards internationally agreed goals.
GPNM contributes to the National Consultative Workshop in Pakistan
A National Consultative workshop on “Draft Resolution on Sustainable Nitrogen Management” for UNEA-7 was organised by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, Government of Pakistan, in collaboration with University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, International Nitrogen Management Systems (INMS), Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), and iN-Net/International Nitrogen Initiative (INI). Prof. Mark Sutton (Co-chair GPNM), Ms. Andrea Perez, and Dr. Tariq Aziz (Members of the GPNM Steering Committee) were among the speakers. About 55 officials from various ministries, departments, federal and provincial representatives, experts, NGOs, fertiliser manufacturers, farmers, and academicians participated in this workshop.
GPNM Steering Committee Meeting
The GPNM Steering Committee met virtually on the 23rd of May 2025. Key topics from the meeting included organising events such as webinars and conferences, enhancing member engagement, and clarifying the GPNM's role in relation to other organisations. The committee also addressed the need for a clear vision document, improved collaboration with partners, and strategies to advocate for nutrient management in global forums.
Farewell to GPNM Co-Chair Ms. Itsuki Kuroda
Ms. Itsuki (Suki) Kuroda has been seconded by the Ministry of Environment of Japan to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat, and as a result, has stepped down from her role as Co-Chair of the GPNM.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ms. Kuroda for her dedicated service as Co-Chair of the GPNM from January to August 2025. During her tenure, she provided invaluable insight and leadership, particularly in highlighting the critical role of policymakers in advancing the partnership’s goals.
We wish her continued success in her new role and also look forward to future opportunities for collaboration.
Nutrients-related news
In 2022, the EU allowed the use of recycled phosphorus in fertiliser. This ban has hindered the development of technology within the EU. Now, in June 2025, the EU also allows the use of recycled phosphorus for organic farming. EU approves recycled phosphorus for use in organic farming. Still, there is a ban on the use of phosphorus for animal feed purposes on a principal level, but the Swedish government now urges the EU to lift this ban to enable the EU to reduce its dependency on imports. From the decision made public on 2025-08-15.
A list of simplification proposals for EU legislation from the Swedish government. “Regulation 767/2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed Annex III Recycled minerals from wastewater are prohibited for use in feed. (Today, phosphorus is mainly imported from Russia, and it is a Swedish company that drives the development).
Sweden suggests that the Commission request a risk assessment from EFSA, followed by necessary amendments to the legislations”. Read more...
Upcoming Events
The Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (GPNM) and the Global Wastewater Initiative (GWWI) are co-convening three sessions at World Water Week, which will take place in Stockholm, Sweden, and online. These sessions will explore the theme of water and planetary boundaries.
Session 2 will focus specifically on nutrients and novel entities, with Dr. Will Brownlie from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology presenting on the challenges of phosphorus pollution.
The 8th Global Sustainable Phosphorus Summit (SPS8) will be held in the continent of Africa in Accra, Ghana for the very first time from 30th September to 3rd October 2025. The summit will enable communities and sectors to work together to foster new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and capacity development. SPS8 will focus attention on priority actions for achieving sustainable phosphorus management in Africa and globally.
The first technical session of the UNEP Working Group on Nitrogen will highlight critical social dimensions of sustainable nitrogen management, demonstrating the value of integrating these perspectives into research, policy, and governance. Leading global experts will share practical insights and experiences on addressing nitrogen challenges across human health and diet, agriculture, and governance, while showcasing innovative approaches for knowledge exchange and awareness-raising. By presenting real-world examples, the session will offer concrete lessons to support the development and implementation of effective National Action Plans for sustainable nitrogen management. This online event will be held on 19th September 2025 from 10 am to 12 pm. Please register here.
This update has been prepared and published by the GPNM Secretariat. For inquiries, please contact: unep-ecosystems-nutrients@un.org.
Credits:
GPNM Secretariat