Welcome seminar: Integrated Economic-Environmental Modelling of Phosphorus Abatement for Water Quality Policy

Open online seminar with Berit Hasler, Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen.

Full title of seminar: Integrated Economic-Environmental Modelling of Phosphorus Abatement for Water Quality Policy – Synergies and Conflicts with Nitrogen Abatement

Recently Berit Hasler has recently been employed as a Professor at IFRO and will therefore present her work.

Abstract:

Improving water quality has been on the political agenda in Europe, as well as in other parts of the world, for decades. Nitrogen and phosphorus loads from agricultural non-point sources (NPS) cause eutrophication of marine and freshwater bodies, and phosphorus loss reductions are required to achieve water quality targets in freshwater bodies.  

To facilitate modelling of the cost-effectiveness of nitrogen and phosphorus loads to fresh- and marine waters, separately and jointly, an integrated environmental-economic model has been developed, the TargetEconN_P model. The model is a result of interdisciplinary cooperation between economists, agronomists and hydrologists, building on detailed spatial data for the modelling of costs and effects of measures. The model covers the entire land area of Denmark, subdividing the land into lake- and coastal catchments.

This presentation focuses on the development of the phosphorus component of the model, illustrates and discusses results. The results indicate that it is both difficult and costly to reach the phosphorus targets as required by the WFD, but also that there are large differences between lake catchments. The results also indicate some synergies between phosphorus and nitrogen loss reductions, but also trade-offs as the location of the measures differs to facilitate phosphorus loss reductions to lakes and nitrogen losses to coastal areas, respectively.

How to participate

The seminar is open to all.
The seminar will take place online via Zoom: