DAP and MAP: Emissions

Ammonia's carbon and five tonnes of gypsum

Ammonia's carbon and five tonnes of gypsum What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 0.70 t CO2e per t range 0.5-1.0 · cradle-to-gate; embedded ammonia (0.22 t at about 2.4 t CO2/t) plus rock mining and acid processing Global emissions per year 42.0 Mt CO2e per year 2025 · about 60 Mt DAP/MAP x 0.7 t CO2e/t; MAP carries less ammonia, so an upper estimate

Per t of DAP (18-46-0), cradle-to-gate. Intensity: phosphate tile, derived from IEA Ammonia Technology Roadmap 2021 and stoichiometry (indicative). Global total: derived (indicative).

Share of footprint by lifecycle phase

Feedstock 85% Production / process 10% Movement 5%

Footprint by lifecycle phase

Phase	Intensity	Share	Main sources of emissions	Notes	Source
Feedstock	about 0.6 t CO2e/t DAP	85%	embedded ammonia (about 0.53 t CO2) and rock mining (0.05-0.15 t)	coal-based ammonia in China roughly doubles the ammonia part	IEA (2021); phosphate tile (indicative)
Production / process	about 0.07 t CO2e/t DAP	10%	acid concentration, granulation and drying	sulphur burning emits no CO2 and exports steam, a small credit	indicative
Movement	about 0.03-0.05 t CO2/t for Morocco to India	5%	bulk carriers at 3-10 g CO2 per tonne-km	India imports most of the chain	IMO Fourth GHG Study 2020 (indicative)
Use	N2O from the 18% N in DAP; none from phosphorus	–	soil nitrification and denitrification	about 0.8 t CO2e per t DAP at the IPCC 1% default emission factor (indicative, derived: 0.18 t N x 1% x 44/28 x 273)	IPCC 2019 Refinement (indicative)
End of life	not applicable	–	nutrients are consumed in soil	phosphorus runoff causes eutrophication; no recycling	EU CRM 2023

Other environmental impacts

About 5 t of phosphogypsum per t of P2O5 in stacks containing fluoride and radium; cadmium accumulation in soils; phosphorus runoff and algal blooms.

Levers to cut emissions

Low-carbon ammonia for the 0.22 t NH3 per t DAP, the largest share of the footprint
Use sulphuric acid plant steam for power
Shift part of demand to MAP, SSP and better-placed NPK where crops need less N
Phosphogypsum reuse in cement and roads
Precision placement to cut P overuse

India

India imported about two-thirds of its 9.40 Mt of DAP in FY2026, so most emissions sit in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Russia and China; domestic DAP uses imported ammonia, so its footprint is similar (Chambal MD&A; derived).

Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

Low-carbon routes

Route	Intensity	Cost premium	Status	Source
DAP made with blue or green ammonia	about 0.2-0.3 t CO2e/t DAP (indicative, derived)	adds roughly $50-150/t DAP at green ammonia premiums of $250-700/t NH3 (indicative)	OCP plans green ammonia in Morocco (not verified); no commercial low-carbon DAP brand at scale	derived (indicative)
Struvite recovered from wastewater	low; small volumes	niche	municipal pilots in Europe	phosphate tile

For a climate investor The decarbonisation lever is the ammonia inside DAP, so low-carbon ammonia offtake at Indian granulators (Paradeep, Coromandel, IFFCO) is the natural route. Better nutrient-use efficiency and balanced NPK cut both imports and subsidy, which also matters to the state. What has to be true: the NBS subsidy pays for nutrients, not forms, so a cleaner product needs a carbon or procurement premium to compete.