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Valuing Improvements in Biodiversity Due to Controls on Atmospheric Nitrogen Pollution

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  • Jones, Laurence
  • Milne, Alice
  • Hall, Jane
  • Mills, Gina
  • Provins, Allan
  • Christie, Michael

Abstract

Atmospheric nitrogen pollution has severe impacts on biodiversity, but approaches to value them are limited. This paper develops a spatially explicit methodology to value the benefits from improvements in biodiversity resulting from current policy initiatives to reduce nitrogen emissions. Using the UK as a case study, we quantify nitrogen impacts on plant diversity in four habitats: heathland, acid grassland, dunes and bogs, at fine spatial resolution. Focusing on non-use values for biodiversity we apply value-transfer based on household's willingness to pay to avoid changes in plant species richness, and calculate the benefit of projected emission declines of 37% for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and 6% for ammonia (NH3) over the scenario period 2007–2020. The annualised benefit resulting from these pollutant declines is £32.7 m (£4.4 m to £109.7 m, 95% Confidence Interval), with the greatest benefit accruing from heathland and acid grassland due to their large area. We also calculate damage costs per unit of NO2 and NH3 emitted, to quantify some of the environmental impacts of air pollution for use alongside damage costs for human health in policy appraisal. The benefit is £103 (£33 to £237) per tonne of NO2 saved, and £414 (£139 to £1022) per tonne of NH3 saved.

Suggested Citation

  • Jones, Laurence & Milne, Alice & Hall, Jane & Mills, Gina & Provins, Allan & Christie, Michael, 2018. "Valuing Improvements in Biodiversity Due to Controls on Atmospheric Nitrogen Pollution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 358-366.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:152:y:2018:i:c:p:358-366
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.06.010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jones, L. & Provins, A. & Holland, M. & Mills, G. & Hayes, F. & Emmett, B. & Hall, J. & Sheppard, L. & Smith, R. & Sutton, M. & Hicks, K. & Ashmore, M. & Haines-Young, R. & Harper-Simmonds, L., 2014. "A review and application of the evidence for nitrogen impacts on ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 7(C), pages 76-88.
    2. Kumar, Manasi & Kumar, Pushpam, 2008. "Valuation of the ecosystem services: A psycho-cultural perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(4), pages 808-819, February.
    3. Forest Isbell & Vincent Calcagno & Andy Hector & John Connolly & W. Stanley Harpole & Peter B. Reich & Michael Scherer-Lorenzen & Bernhard Schmid & David Tilman & Jasper van Ruijven & Alexandra Weigel, 2011. "High plant diversity is needed to maintain ecosystem services," Nature, Nature, vol. 477(7363), pages 199-202, September.
    4. Loomis, John B. & White, Douglas S., 1996. "Economic benefits of rare and endangered species: summary and meta-analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 197-206, September.
    5. Christie, Mike & Hanley, Nick & Warren, John & Murphy, Kevin & Wright, Robert & Hyde, Tony, 2006. "Valuing the diversity of biodiversity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 304-317, June.
    6. Christie, Mike & Rayment, Matt, 2012. "An economic assessment of the ecosystem service benefits derived from the SSSI biodiversity conservation policy in England and Wales," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 70-84.
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    1. Martin-Ortega, Julia & Young, Dylan M. & Glenk, Klaus & Baird, Andy J. & Jones, Laurence & Rowe, Edwin C. & Evans, Chris D. & Dallimer, Martin & Reed, Mark S., 2021. "Linking ecosystem changes to their social outcomes: Lost in translation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).

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