Abstract: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is one of three major greenhouse gases and the dominant ozonedepleting substance. Landfilling is the major approach for the treatment and disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW), while MSW landfills can be an important anthropogenic source for N₂O emissions. Measurements at labscale and fullscale landfills have demonstrated that N₂O can be emitted in substantial amounts in MSW landfills; however, a large variation in reported emission values exists. Currently, the mechanisms of N₂O production and emission in landfills and its contribution to global warming are still lack of sufficient studies. Meanwhile, obtaining reliable N₂O fluxes data in landfills remains a question with existing insitu measurement techniques. This paper summarized relevant literature data on this issue and analyzed the potential production and emission mechanisms of N₂O in traditional anaerobic sanitary landfill by dividing it into the MSW buried and the cover soil. The corresponding mechanisms in nitrogen removal bioreactor landfills were analyzed. Finally, the applicability of existing insitu approaches measuring N₂O fluxes in landfills, such as chamber and micrometeorological methods, was discussed and areas in which further research concerning N₂O emissions in landfills was urgently required were proposed as well.