Nitrogen: the overlooked demon in the fight against global warming

Reactive nitrogen exacts sweeping harm on the environment and has a wider range of effects than carbon, contributing to such problems as global warming, lack of biodiversity, pollution of rivers, smog and acid rain. Nitrogen triflouride, used in the production of semi-conductors and liquid-crystal displays in electronics, has been called the “missing greenhouse gas” and is not covered by the Kyoto Protocol. Its emissions contribute more to global warming than carbon dioxide emissions from a large coal-fired power plant. Full Story: The New York Times