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Protecting local water quality has global benefits

Author

Listed:
  • John A. Downing

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota Duluth
    Large Lakes Observatory, Research Lab Building)

  • Stephen Polasky

    (University of Minnesota
    University of Minnesota)

  • Sheila M. Olmstead

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    Resources for the Future)

  • Stephen C. Newbold

    (University of Wyoming)

Abstract

Surface water is among Earth’s most important resources. Yet, benefit–cost studies often report that the costs of water quality protection exceed its benefits. One possible reason for this seeming paradox is that often only a narrow range of local water quality benefits are considered. In particular, the climate damages from water pollution have rarely been quantified. Recent advances in global water science allow the computation of the global methane emission from lakes caused by human nutrient enrichment (eutrophication). Here, we estimate the present value of the global social cost of eutrophication-driven methane emissions from lakes between 2015 and 2050 to be $7.5–$81 trillion (2015 $US), and in a case-study for one well-studied lake (Lake Erie) we find the global value of avoiding eutrophication exceeds local values of either beach use or sport fishing by 10-fold.

Suggested Citation

  • John A. Downing & Stephen Polasky & Sheila M. Olmstead & Stephen C. Newbold, 2021. "Protecting local water quality has global benefits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-22836-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22836-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Weizhe Weng & Kelly M. Cobourn & Armen R. Kemanian & Kevin J. Boyle & Yuning Shi & Jemma Stachelek & Charles White, 2024. "Quantifying co‐benefits of water quality policies: An integrated assessment model of land and nitrogen management," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(2), pages 547-572, March.
    2. Yun Xue & Yi-Min Wen & Zhong-Man Duan & Wei Zhang & Fen-Liang Liu, 2021. "Retrieval of Chlorophyll a Concentration in Water Considering High-Concentration Samples and Spectral Absorption Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Xu, Yuelu & Elbakidze, Levan & Yen, Haw & Arnold, Jeffrey G. & Gassman, Philip W. & Hubbart, Jason & Strager, Michael P., 2022. "Integrated assessment of nitrogen runoff to the Gulf of Mexico," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    4. Zihan Guo & Ni Wang & Xiaolian Mao & Xinyue Ke & Shaojiang Luo & Long Yu, 2022. "Benefit Analysis of Economic and Social Water Supply in Xi’an Based on the Emergy Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.

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