1.4 Pollution control: targets

Question 1

flow pollution

Answer 1

Occcurs when damage results from the flow of residuals

how much that is emitted at a certain point in time

noise pollution, light pollution, heat pollution

Question 2

stock pollution

Answer 2

Damages are depended only on the stock of pollutant in the relevant environmental system at any point in time

How much has accumulated in the past years

GHG in atmosphere, nuclear wastes, N & P in rivers, …

Question 3

point source pollution

Answer 3

The source of the pollution is well-delineated

Question 4

diffuse source pollution

Answer 4

There are so many points sources that it’s less easy to clearly identify one single spot of pollution

• makes it more difficult to set targets

Question 5

uniformly mixing pollution

Answer 5

The pollution spreads quickly (air & water) and spatial concentrations don’t vary that much

• carbon, GHG, …
• uniform spatial distribution
• quick dispersion
• location of the source is irrelevant
• the total amount of emissions matter

Question 6

non-uniformly mixing pollution

Answer 6

spatial concentrations vary a lot

• location of the source is important
• ozone accumulation, oxides, N, S, particulate pollutant, trace metal emissions
• mostly water and ground pollutants

Question 7

trade-off

Answer 7

there are costs and benefits to pollution which need to be evaluated

Weighing strict versus less restrictive targets

benefit: without pollution the production would not be possible

optimization: marginal benefits (reduced pollution damage) = marginal benefits (avoided control costs)

Question 8

damages

Answer 8

the costs that come with emissions

externality; pollution is an unintended negative side effect (negative adverse externality)

The total damage will rise at an increasing rate with the size of pollution

Question 9

net benefits of pollution

Answer 9

the pollution benefits - pollution damages (B(m) - D(m))

The net benefit will increase at a decreasing rate with the size of pollution

Question 10

abatement cost

Answer 10

the economic sacrifice that comes with reducing the cost for the environment (pollution costs/damages)

Question 11

CDW

Answer 11

critical deposition value
= amount of N-depos that a specific ecosystem can tolerate WO loss of biodiversity
(Natura 2000)

Question 12

luchtbeleidsplan

Answer 12

mainly targets transportation emissions (like N)
2019

Question 13

nitrogen agreement

Answer 13

mainly target on livestock sector; but still negotiations

• area-based approach
• emission threshold NH3 and NOX (licensing framework)
• generic emission reduction obligations (barn-level by 2030)
• buying out peak-loaders; they receive a compensation for closing (red list -> obliged by 2025, medium -> voluntary)
• manure stop in valuable nature ares from 2028
• monetary compensation for farmers (the sooner the action, the higher the compensation)

FARMERS
- unfeasable to farm under such strict regulations (mainly red-list companies)

Question 14

shadow price

Answer 14

The economic value/ opportunity cost of emitting one extra unit of pollution in an optima efficient system

How much society should be willing to pay to avoid one more unit of pollution OR
How much value is lost (in terms of damage/regulation) when one more unit is emitted.

Theoretical price for taxes/ trade-system to ensure efficient pollution control

Question 15

intertemportal models

Answer 15

dB/dM = dD/dA [1 /(r+alpha)]

Question 16

double dividend hypothesis

Answer 16

Two types of benefits that come at the same time by raising environmental taxes

Joint benefits result in enhancing welfare impacts substantially.

Reduces the marginal rates of other taxes in the economy

Improving enviorenment AND efficiency gains accur in the economy as a whole

Question 17

pollution policy

Answer 17

Economic efficiency isn’t the only or main objective

• sustainability & economic goals
• human health protection
• public preferences