To date, no overall reduction targets for nitrogen have been set at OSPAR. This can only be expected in 2025. The assessment of progress therefore takes place at the level of the operational environmental objectives.

OSPAR has not yet set overall reduction targets for phosphorus. This can only be expected in 2025. The assessment of progress therefore takes place at the level of the operational environmental objectives.

The management target value at the inland-marine transfer point of <=2.8 mg/l for total nitrogen (TN) must be achieved by each river reaching the North Sea. The target was reached in the five-year average 2016-2020 for the Rhine and the Bongsieler Canal (Indicator sheet on nutrient concentrations at the transfer point, limnic/marine). The watercourse-specific guideline value for TP was achieved by all rivers except the Elbe (indicator sheet nutrient concentrations at the transfer point, limnic/marine). As regards the assessment method, it is a simple comparison of the measured river concentrations at the transfer point in limno-marine with the management target value or watercourse-specific guidance value. In order to take into account the above-described fluctuations in the outflow, in future outflow-standardised cargoes should be compared with a target cargo. This examination was carried out on a test basis (indicator sheet on nutrient concentrations at the transfer point, limnic/marine).

For phosphorus, depending on the water type, a river-specific orientation value of <=0.1 or <=0.30 mg/l TP was set at the transfer point in limno-marine (which is why it was not possible to give an indication of the target value, as only one entry is permitted there). The watercourse-specific guidance value must be achieved by each river reaching the North Sea. It is currently assumed that, if the watercourse-specific guidance value for TP is respected, good ecological status under the WFD and good environmental status under the MSFD can be achieved. The orientations are currently under scientific review. The watercourse-specific guideline value for TP was achieved by all rivers except the Elbe (indicator sheet nutrient concentrations at the transfer point, limnic/marine). As regards the assessment method, it is a simple comparison of the measured river concentrations at the transfer point in limno-marine with the management target value or watercourse-specific guidance value. In order to take into account the above-described fluctuations in the outflow, in future outflow-standardised cargoes should be compared with a target cargo. This examination was carried out on a test basis (indicator sheet on nutrient concentrations at the transfer point, limnic/marine).

Remote inputs from other marine areas continue to be an important source of nutrients entering Germany’s North Sea waters. Close to the coast, Germany’s share of water-borne nitrogen inputs was 54 %, 12 % from the Netherlands and 6 % from the UK (Lenhart and Große 2018). In the outer German EEZ, Germany’s share of nitrogen inputs decreased to only 2 %, the Netherlands’ share increased to 13 % and the United Kingdom’s share to 11 %. As regards the share of the Netherlands, it should be borne in mind that, for the purposes of this analysis, the nutrient inputs from the Rhine are attributed exclusively to the Netherlands. No conclusions can currently be drawn on trends in remote inputs, but a model study of WFD reductions showed that remote inputs from other OSPAR Contracting States decrease proportionally to the level of planned nitrogen input reductions under the WFD (Lenhart and Große 2018). Environmental objective 1.2 on reducing remote entries can only be addressed through regional cooperation with OSPAR. It can be assumed that remote inputs are sufficiently taken into account when deriving State-based nutrient reduction targets. Work is currently under way in OSPAR to derive corresponding reduction targets as part of the new North-East Atlantic environmental strategy. In future, in addition to the indicator ‘Import of nitrogen and phosphorus’, the indicator ‘Export of nitrogen and phosphorus’ should also be considered, as Germany also influences the waters of neighbouring countries through its nutrient inputs.

No target values were set for the deposition of nitrogen compounds. It is assumed that the emission reductions to which Germany has committed itself under the Gothenburg Protocol to the Air Convention and the EU NEC Directive sufficiently reduce atmospheric nitrogen input so that good status under the MSFD can be achieved. Approximately 33 % of nitrogen inputs in OSPAR Region II (Extended North Sea) come from atmospheric deposition in marine waters (OSPAR indicator Inputs of Nutrients). In 2020, 35.304 tonnes of nitrogen were deposited in the German EEZ (18.707 tonnes of reduced nitrogen and 16.597 tonnes of oxidised nitrogen) (EMEP MSC-W Technical Report 3/2022). The time series of normalised nitrogen deposition shows a 51 % decrease (37.800 tonnes) between 1990 and 2020. Deposition of oxidised nitrogen has decreased by 20 % per decade since 1990 and deposition of reduced nitrogen by 12 %. Since 2010, there has been no decrease in the deposition of reduced nitrogen, while the deposition of oxidised nitrogen has decreased by 33 % per decade. Approximately 20 % of the deposition of oxidised nitrogen compounds on the North Sea waters in the German EEZ resulted from German emissions, approximately 20 % came from the United Kingdom, approximately 6 % from the 23 Netherlands, approximately 10 % from France and approximately 16 % from North Sea shipping (OSPAR 2018). With regard to the deposition of reduced nitrogen compounds, Germany had a significantly higher share (around 53 %), 16 % came from the Netherlands, 9 % from France and 7 % from the United Kingdom (OSPAR 2018). Navigation in the North Sea and North East Atlantic accounted for 11 % of atmospheric nitrogen inputs in 2014 (OSPAR 2018). Since OSPAR has not commissioned any source analysis of the deposition since then, more recent data are not available. For references and further information, see: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) (ed.) (2024): Status of German North Sea waters in 2024. Updating the initial assessment pursuant to § 45c, the description of the good status of marine waters pursuant to § 45d and the setting of targets pursuant to § 45e of the Water Management Act to implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Federal Government/Länder working group for the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (BLANO), 15 October 2024.

The target value for the environmental objective is the reduction commitments for nitrogen oxides and ammonia emissions set for Germany under the Gothenburg Protocol to the Air Convention and the EU NEC Directive. Germany fully complied with the reduction commitments of 39 % for nitrogen oxides and 5 % for ammonia 15 (reference year 2005) to be met from 2020 under the Gothenburg Protocol, as reported in 2022 and 2023. From 2030 onwards, under the EU NEC Directive, nitrogen oxide emissions must have been reduced by 65 % and ammonia emissions by 29 % on the basis of the same reference year. The Gothenburg Protocol is currently subject to a review process, which for the first time also takes into account the marine trait. In 2 020.40 % of Germany’s emissions of oxidised nitrogen compounds came from 14 transport, 22 % from the energy sector, 13 % from households and small consumers and 11 % from agriculture (UBA environmental data – nitrogen oxide emissions). In 2 020.95 % of Germany’s emissions of reduced nitrogen compounds came from agriculture 17 (UBA data on the environment – ammonia emissions). Since 1990, German emissions of oxidised nitrogen compounds have decreased by 66 %, while German emissions of reduced nitrogen compounds have decreased by only 25 %. For references and further information, see: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) (ed.) (2024): Status of German North Sea waters in 2024. Updating the initial assessment pursuant to § 45c, the description of the good status of marine waters pursuant to § 45d and the setting of targets pursuant to § 45e of the Water Management Act to implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Federal Government/Länder working group for the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (BLANO), 15 October 2024.