|
The paper presents a short version of the basic method based on costeffectiveness
analysis of measures to assess the possible reductions of
nitrogen loads in the water bodies of selected countries in the Danube
catchment area originating from agriculture, applied in the daNUbs
project. The effects on the national nitrogen soil surface balances of
measures representing changed agricultural production techniques are
determined by using the OECD method to calculate nitrogen input and
output. Subsequently, the effects on the nitrogen load in the surface
waters as well as in the Black Sea are calculated by the MONERIS
model and additional factors for retention in surface waters and main
streams. The internal costs of the measures considered take into
account the induced changes of direct and indirect production costs
and of gross output of all agricultural producers involved.
The comparison of cost-effectiveness ratios of different measures
(supposed to be carried out in the countries selected) reveals great
differences: Both, measures with positive cost-effectiveness ratios and
measures with negative ones are identified, the latter indicating that
they are commercially profitable to the agricultural producers. The
cost-effectiveness ratios of the measures vary strongly, depending on
the composition of agricultural production, the degree of retention of nitrogen in the soil and the water bodies as well as on the cost levels.
Finally, for each country the different measures are ranked according
to their cost-effectiveness ratios in order to combine them in a costoptimal
way.
|
