Environmental conflicts: The case of Acid Rain in Europe

Hettelingh, J.-P.; Hordijk, L.

doi:10.1007/bf01285807

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…38-41). This example problem is of limited size (2 regions and 3 years), and is a simplified version of the model formulation by Hettelingh and Hordijk (1986).…”

Section: Extensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transboundary air pollution in Europe: An interactive multicriteria tradeoff analysis

Stam¹,

Kuula²,

Cesar³

1992

European Journal of Operational Research

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ForewordOver the years IIASA has played an important role in developing methods for improving decision making concerning the acid rain problem. IIASA's RAINS model is accepted as a basis for negotiations between countries with regard to the abatement of acid rain. As a decision problem, the abatement of acid rain is typically a problem with several criteria, for example, the amounts of money spent by the different countries to diminish emissions and the target levels for the depositions. This paper proposes an interactive approach for finding reasonable deposition levels for all countries involved by a limited transfer of funds between those countries.The basis for this work was laid when the authors participated in IIASA's Young Scientist Summer Program. The work is a result of cooperation between the Transboundary Air Pollution Project and the Methodology Decision Analysis Project. Abstract: In this paper, the acid rain problem in Europe is discussed, stressing the transboundary tradeoffs between abatement costs of sulphur emission reduction and corresponding deposition levels in the different countries. An interactive decision support methodology is proposed which utilizes a powerful nonlinear multicriteria software package to evaluate various scenarios and tradeoffs. This methodology provides a more appropriate tool for policy making than single-objective minimization of costs with given target deposition levels, because in the latter the tradeoffs cannot be analyzed directly. The results from a tradeoff analysis using previously published data suggest that reasonable deposition levels can be reached with limited transfers of funds between countries. The extent of these transfers can be controlled by selecting appropriate target levels for the criteria across countries. JAAP WESSELS Leader Methodology Decision Analysis Project

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“…38-41). This example problem is of limited size (2 regions and 3 years), and is a simplified version of the model formulation by Hettelingh and Hordijk (1986).…”

Section: Extensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transboundary air pollution in Europe: An interactive multicriteria tradeoff analysis

Stam¹,

Kuula²,

Cesar³

1992

European Journal of Operational Research

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“…The European emissions figures from 1960 to 2040 are based on the Energy /Emission model of RAINS, in which different emission scenarios can be defined (Alcamo et al, 1987;Hettelingh and Hordijk, 1986). Levels of total (wet and dry) deposition in the RLM are computed from the combination of the scenario and the source-receptor matrix.…”

Section: Sulfur Deposition Scenariosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact Models to Assess Regional Acidification

Kämäri¹

1990

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ForewordSensitive receptors such as soil and fresh bodies of water are at the end of a long chain of events in the process of regional acidification. This chain begins thousands of kilometers upwind at the emitters of acidifying pollutants. The topics covered in this book are important in the study of regional acidification for two reasons. First, it is important to assess the sensitivity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to the deposition of acidifying pollutants. If the sensitivity of an ecosystem is known, then international control strategies can be developed to reduce deposition in the receptor areas of greatest importance. This is an important factor in designing the most effective strategies because of the very high costs of reducing emissions of acidifying pollutants.Second, it is important to be able to predict changes in ecosystems for decades into the future, whether it be an improvement owing to decreases in acidifying emissions or, alas, a further deterioration because control strategies are nonexistent or inadequate. In either event, it is important to be able to judge the results of our actions.Decision makers tend to be mistrustful of models unless they can judge their reliability. The application and testing of the models in Part III of this book cover, therefore, an important facet of model building.This book is an ideal companion to another book that is forthcoming from the Transboundary Air Pollution Project at IIASA: The RAINS Model of Acidification: Science and Strategies in Europe. The latter book is a description of the development and use of the Regional Acidification INformation and Simulation (RAINS) model, an integrated assessment model for developing and determining control strategies to reduce regional acidification in Europe. Much of the research described in this book forms part of the foundation of the RAINS model. These two books cover a great deal of the present knowledge about assessing and dealing with a very important environmental problem in Europeregional acidification. R. W. Shaw Leader Transboundary Air Pollution Project Introduction Acidification of the EnvironmentAcidification of the environment is, like most recent environmental problems, a consequence of change in the natural cycles of elements. Some chemical substances that during millions of years leaked from the biosphere are again being emitted to the atmosphere. Owing to these anthropogenic emissions, fluxes of acidifying compounds to the soils and waters have increased manyfold since preindustrial times.The whole problem of air pollution is transboundary in nature; its geographic dimensions are difficult to define. Pollution sources are scattered in many countries, the consequences extending far away. Acidifying sulfur and nitrogen oxides can persist in the air up to a few days, long enough to be transported hundreds or even thousands of kilometers from the place they were emitted. During this transit time, gaseous pollutants undergo a complicated chemical conversion into nitric and sulfuric acids, which ar...

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“…Various integrated assessment models have been built for dealing with policy matters of acidification in Europe. From the literature we know BICRAM (1), ACIDRAIN (2), and RAINS (Regional Acidification /Mormation and Simulation) (3,4). Presently RAINS is being used by the executive body for the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).…”

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confidence: 99%