Targeted regulation of nitrogen loads: A national, cross-sectoral analysis
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Targeted regulation of nitrogen loads : A national, cross-sectoral analysis. / Konrad, Maria Theresia; Hansen, Line Block; Levin, Gregor; Blicher-Mathiesen, Gitte; Andersen, Hans Estrup; Martinsen, Louise; Hasler, Berit.
I: Ecological Economics, Bind 193, 107278, 2022.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Targeted regulation of nitrogen loads
T2 - A national, cross-sectoral analysis
AU - Konrad, Maria Theresia
AU - Hansen, Line Block
AU - Levin, Gregor
AU - Blicher-Mathiesen, Gitte
AU - Andersen, Hans Estrup
AU - Martinsen, Louise
AU - Hasler, Berit
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - In Denmark, eutrophication of coastal areas is one of the major challenges in meeting the requirements from the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). This eutrophication is mainly a cause of excessive nitrogen loads from agricultural production, which can be reduced by implementing abatement measures. The cost-effectiveness of a land use policy may vary depending on the abatement measures used and where they are implemented. Taking account of the spatial heterogeneity of costs and effects in the choice of abatement measures significantly reduces the cost of meeting WFD targets. Targeting of regulation to identify least cost options to reduce nitrogen has for many years focused on agricultural abatement measures. However, the marginal costs of reductions in agriculture have now increased to an extent, where it has become relevant also to reconsider other sectors. We set out to compare nitrogen abatement measures across agriculture and waste water treatment at a national level, acknowledging heterogeneity in marginal costs across spatial location as well as differences in reduction requirements across catchments. In the analysis, we combine data on costs and effects of abatement measures at a fine spatial scale to estimate marginal costs within the two sectors at a national level for Denmark. The model minimizes the costs of meeting the specific required nitrogen load reduction targets for all catchments and finds the composition and spatial location of the optimal abatement effort. We find that waste water treatment abatement measures are only relevant in two coastal catchments, where they mainly serve as a supplement due to insufficient potential for agricultural land in rotation to provide all the N load reductions. Furthermore, we find that the pressure on agricultural land to reduce nutrient loads is very high in some catchments, implying that abatement measures such as land retirement where abatement costs are high enters the optimal solution due to their high level of effectiveness. Recommendations and average costs vary across catchments, indicating that results are not easily translated to generic national-level policy design.
AB - In Denmark, eutrophication of coastal areas is one of the major challenges in meeting the requirements from the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). This eutrophication is mainly a cause of excessive nitrogen loads from agricultural production, which can be reduced by implementing abatement measures. The cost-effectiveness of a land use policy may vary depending on the abatement measures used and where they are implemented. Taking account of the spatial heterogeneity of costs and effects in the choice of abatement measures significantly reduces the cost of meeting WFD targets. Targeting of regulation to identify least cost options to reduce nitrogen has for many years focused on agricultural abatement measures. However, the marginal costs of reductions in agriculture have now increased to an extent, where it has become relevant also to reconsider other sectors. We set out to compare nitrogen abatement measures across agriculture and waste water treatment at a national level, acknowledging heterogeneity in marginal costs across spatial location as well as differences in reduction requirements across catchments. In the analysis, we combine data on costs and effects of abatement measures at a fine spatial scale to estimate marginal costs within the two sectors at a national level for Denmark. The model minimizes the costs of meeting the specific required nitrogen load reduction targets for all catchments and finds the composition and spatial location of the optimal abatement effort. We find that waste water treatment abatement measures are only relevant in two coastal catchments, where they mainly serve as a supplement due to insufficient potential for agricultural land in rotation to provide all the N load reductions. Furthermore, we find that the pressure on agricultural land to reduce nutrient loads is very high in some catchments, implying that abatement measures such as land retirement where abatement costs are high enters the optimal solution due to their high level of effectiveness. Recommendations and average costs vary across catchments, indicating that results are not easily translated to generic national-level policy design.
KW - Agri-environmental abatement measures
KW - Cost effectiveness
KW - Diffuse pollution
KW - Point sources
KW - Waste water treatment
KW - Water quality
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107278
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107278
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85119275565
VL - 193
JO - Ecological Economics
JF - Ecological Economics
SN - 0921-8009
M1 - 107278
ER -
ID: 324690591