Final answer:
The main source of nitrous oxide in Irish agriculture is the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrous oxide has a global warming potential 300 times higher than carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main source of nitrous oxide (N2O) in Irish agriculture is the use of nitrogen fertilizers. When these fertilizers are applied to the soil, bacteria convert the nitrogen into nitrous oxide, which is then released into the atmosphere.
Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) in terms of its global warming potential (GWP). This means that it has a much greater capacity to trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change than CO2 does.