The Chemical-Ecological Modeling of Aquatic Nitrogen Compound Transformation Processes
Regional nitrogen assessments and implications for aquatic systems: European perspective (IWC6...
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The European Nitrogen Assessment Regional nitrogen assessments and implications for aquatic systems: European perspective Bruna Grizzetti European Nitrogen Assessment Currently European Research Council Executive Agency Formerly European Commission Joint Research Centre 6 th International Waters Conference 19 th October, Dubrovnik, Croatia
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Presentation delivered by Grizetti during the GEF STAP session during the 6th GEF Biennial International Waters Conference in 2011 in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Transcript of Regional nitrogen assessments and implications for aquatic systems: European perspective (IWC6...
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Regional nitrogen assessments and implications for aquatic systems:
European perspective
Bruna GrizzettiEuropean Nitrogen Assessment
Currently European Research Council Executive AgencyFormerly European Commission Joint Research Centre
6th International Waters Conference
19th October, Dubrovnik, Croatia
The European Nitrogen Assessment
ENA LaunchApril 2011, EdinburghInternational Conference“Nitrogen & Global Change”
Download the assessment at:
www.nine-esf.org/ENA
ENA Authorship200 experts, 21 countries &89 organizations
Scientifically independent process
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Objective of theEuropean Nitrogen Assessment
• To review current scientific understanding of nitrogen sources, impacts and interactions across Europe,
• Taking account of current policies and the economic costs and benefits, as a basis to
• Inform the development of future policies at local to global scales.
The European Nitrogen Assessment
ENA Inputs and Authorization
NitroEurope Integrated Project (co-funded by the European
Commission)
Managing Nitrogen at the biosphere
atmosphere interface
Nitrogen in EuropeResearch Networking
Programme (ESF)
729729
UNECETask Force on Reactive
Nitrogen
International Nitrogen Initiative
Linking UNConventions
Global Partnershipon Nutrient
Management
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Scaling up of issues through the European Nitrogen Assessment
N in Europe: the present position
N processing in the biosphere
N flows and fate at multiple
spatial scales
Managing N in relation to key societal threats
European N policies and
future challenges
FluxesFrom land to river basin to
regional balance
ProcessesIn the
atmosphere, terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems
ImpactsOn air,
water, soil, biodiversity and climate
PolicyDifferent
sectoral policies, national and international
policies
Integrated Assessment
The European Nitrogen Assessment
The five key threats of excess Nitrogen
The WAGES of too much nitrogen
Water qualityAir qualityGreenhouse balanceEcosystems Soil quality
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Nitrogen Cascade and Processes
Quantify N fluxes ?
WATERProcesses
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Nitrogen effects: Humans and aquatic ecosystems
Effects of N ?
Increased biomassAlgal bloom, toxic
algae
Biodiversity lossHabitat loss
Fish kills
Regime shiftLost of aesthetic
value
The human and the aquatic systems are strictly interconnected
Eutrophication reduces the capacity of the aquatic ecosyetm to absorb external stress, such as climate changes
Increase of nutrients in the aquatic ecosystem EUTROPHICATION
The European Nitrogen Assessment
From river basin to coastal water
Europe is exporting 4.7 Tg N/yr to its seas (model GREEN)
Net Anthropogenic N Input (NANI): 3700 kg N/km2
(5 times natural N2 fixation)
~ 80% is stored (in soils, sediments and groundwater) or lost to the atmosphere
~20% reaches the basin outlet and the marine coastal zones(4 times the natural background)
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Trends at European scale: rivers and aquifers
• NO3 concentrations in European rivers, lakes and coastal waters are high in many regions
• Groundwater NO3 concentrations have remained stable and high in some regions
• Lag time of groundwater response to changes in fertiliser application
mg NO3/l
See also:Bouraoui and Grizzetti (2011) Science of The Total Environment
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The European Nitrogen Assessment
Nitrogen Damage Costs & Sources
Nature 14 April 2011EU Damage cost: 70 - 320 billion € / year
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Effects of policies
EU and international legislation
• Reduction of nitrogen in waste water discharges, but diffuse pollution from agriculture still remains a major threat for waters
• Policy tools are available within the European Union and under international conventions but their full implementation has not been achieved yet
• In many cases a delay in the water quality response to the implementation of measures have been observed
• The issue of pollution swapping between environmental compartments has appeared as an important element to be considered by both the scientific and policy prospective
Design site specific mitigation measures
Implementation of existing policy
Encourage integration in sectoral policies
Recommendations:
Reduce the primary N inputs to the river basin
The European Nitrogen Assessment
7 ENA measuresSeven key actions for better nitrogen management
Agriculture(1) Improving nitrogen use efficiency in crop production.(2) Improving nitrogen use efficiency in animal production.(3) Increasing the fertilizer N equivalence value of animal manure
Transport and industry(4) Low-emission combustion and energy-efficient systems
Waste water treatment(5) Recycling nitrogen (and phosphorus) from waste water systems
Societal consumption patterns(6) Energy and transport saving(7) Lowering the human consumption of animal protein
Reduce N diffuse inputs
Reduce all N inputs
Reduce N point inputs
Reduce N atm inputs
All measures have a positive effect on water quality
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Key messages• Each year Europe exports to its seas 4 times more N than the natural background and
this is only the 20% of the antrophogenic nitrogen input in the watershed (Nr retained in soils and aquifers, and Nr lost to the atmosphere is unknown).
• A significant part of the European population could be potentially exposed to high nitrate values in drinking water if adequate treatments were not in place. Many of European aquatic ecosystems are eutrophic or at risk of eutrophication.
• The continuous nitrogen export to water pose a threat to to the provision of goods and services from the aquatic ecosystem and reduces its resilience
• Nitrogen concentrations in European rivers, lakes, aquifers and coastal waters are high in many regionsand do not show significant decreasing trends.
• Even under favourable land use scenarios the nitrogen export to European waters and seas is likely to remain significant in the near future
• The full implementation of the existing N regulations is necessary, together with the integration of the sectoral policies to reduce N cascade and avoid pollution swapping
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Threats:- Human health- Aquatic ecosystem health- Provision of good and services
Trends: Not significan decreaseScenarios: N export is likely to remain high
Key messages: a pictureN input is 4 times more than the natural background
Way forward:
Full implementation of the existing N regulations and integration of the sectoral policies to reduce N cascade and avoid pollution swapping
Our political and societal choice
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Download the assessment at:
www.nine-esf.org/ENA
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