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5 - The challenge to integrate nitrogen science and policies: the European Nitrogen Assessment approach

from Part I - Nitrogen in Europe: the present position

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2011

By
Mark A. Sutton ,
Clare M. Howard ,
Jan Willem Erisman ,
William J. Bealey ,
Gilles Billen ,
Albert Bleeker ,
Alexander F. Bouwman ,
Peringe Grennfelt ,
Hans van Grinsven  and
Bruna Grizzetti
Edited by
Mark A. Sutton ,
Clare M. Howard ,
Jan Willem Erisman ,
Gilles Billen ,
Albert Bleeker ,
Peringe Grennfelt ,
Hans van Grinsven  and
Bruna Grizzetti
Mark A. Sutton
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Clare M. Howard
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Jan Willem Erisman
Affiliation:
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
Gilles Billen
Affiliation:
University Pierre & Marie Curie
Albert Bleeker
Affiliation:
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
Alexander F. Bouwman
Affiliation:
Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Peringe Grennfelt
Affiliation:
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute Ltd
Hans van Grinsven
Affiliation:
Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Bruna Grizzetti
Affiliation:
European Commission Joint Research Centre
Mark A. Sutton
Affiliation:
NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
Clare M. Howard
Affiliation:
NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
Jan Willem Erisman
Affiliation:
Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Gilles Billen
Affiliation:
CNRS and University of Paris VI
Albert Bleeker
Affiliation:
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
Peringe Grennfelt
Affiliation:
Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL)
Hans van Grinsven
Affiliation:
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Bruna Grizzetti
Affiliation:
European Commission Joint Research Centre
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Summary

Executive summary

Nature of the problem

  • Anthropogenic releases of reactive nitrogen (Nr) can disturb natural systems and affect human health and welfare in many different ways. Scientific and policy views of the nitrogen cycle have typically addressed these problems from separate perspectives, looking in each case at only part of the overall issue.

  • Given the multi-faceted nature of the nitrogen cycle, it is a major challenge to develop a more-integrated understanding of how different areas of nitrogen science and policies fit together.

Approaches

  • Observations from the first part of the European Nitrogen Assessment (ENA Part I) are summarized, considering the distinctive character of Nr in Europe, the benefits and threats, and the current policies. Approaches to developing the following parts of the Assessment are discussed with an emphasis on how to draw out the key issues.

Key findings

  • Recognizing the multi-pollutant, multi-phase complexity of the nitrogen cycle, it is concluded that it is essential to focus on a limited set of priority issues to allow effective communication between nitrogen scientists and policy makers.

  • A pathway is developed for prioritization of the key environmental concerns of excess Nr. Starting with around twenty environmental effects, the list is reduced down, first to nine main concerns, and then to five key societal threats.

  • […]

Type
Chapter
Information
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Sources, Effects and Policy Perspectives
 , pp. 82 - 96
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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References

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