The European
Nitrogen
Assessment
6th International
Waters
Conference
Regional nitrogen assessments and
implications for aquatic systems:
European perspective
Bruna Grizzetti
European Nitrogen Assessment
Currently European Research Council Executive Agency
Formerly European Commission Joint Research Centre
19th October, Dubrovnik, Croatia
The European Nitrogen Assessment
ENA Launch
April 2011, Edinburgh
International Conference
“Nitrogen & Global Change”
ENA Authorship
200 experts,
21 countries &
89 organizations
Scientifically independent process
Download the assessment at:
www.nine-esf.org/ENA
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Objective of the
European Nitrogen Assessment
• To review current scientific understanding of nitrogen
sources, impacts and interactions across Europe,
• Taking account of current policies and the economic
costs and benefits, as a basis to
• Inform the development of future policies at local to
global scales.
The European Nitrogen Assessment
ENA Inputs and Authorization
NitroEurope Integrated Project
(co-funded by the European
Commission)
International
Nitrogen
Initiative
Nitrogen in Europe
Research Networking
Programme (ESF)
729
Managing Nitrogen at
the biosphere
atmosphere interface
Linking UN
Conventions
UNECE
Task Force
on Reactive
Nitrogen
Global
Partnership
on Nutrient
Management
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Scaling up of issues through
the European Nitrogen Assessment
N in Europe: the
present position
N processing in
the biosphere
N flows and fate
at multiple
spatial scales
Managing N in
relation to key
societal threats
European N
policies and
future
challenges
Processes
Fluxes
Impacts
Policy
In the
atmosphere,
terrestrial and
aquatic
ecosystems
From land to
river basin to
regional
balance
On air,
water, soil,
biodiversity
and climate
Different
sectoral policies,
national and
international
policies
Integrated Assessment
The European Nitrogen Assessment
The five key threats of excess Nitrogen
The WAGES of
too much nitrogen
Water quality
Air quality
Greenhouse balance
Ecosystems
Soil quality
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Nitrogen Cascade and Processes
Quantify N fluxes ?
Processes
WATER
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Nitrogen effects:
Humans and aquatic ecosystems
Effects of N ?
The human and the aquatic systems are strictly interconnected
Increase of nutrients in the aquatic ecosystem  EUTROPHICATION
Increased biomass
Algal bloom, toxic
algae
Biodiversity loss
Habitat loss
Fish kills
Regime shift
Lost of aesthetic
value
Eutrophication reduces the capacity of the aquatic ecosyetm to absorb
external stress, such as climate changes
The European Nitrogen Assessment
From river basin to coastal water
Europe is exporting 4.7 Tg N/yr to its
seas (model GREEN)
Net Anthropogenic N Input (NANI):
3700 kg N/km2
(5 times natural N2 fixation)
~ 80% is stored (in soils,
sediments and
groundwater) or lost to the
atmosphere
~20% reaches the basin outlet
and the marine coastal zones
(4 times the natural background)
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Trends at European scale:
rivers and aquifers
mg NO3/l
• NO3 concentrations in
European rivers, lakes and
coastal waters are high in
many regions
• Groundwater NO3
concentrations have
remained stable and high
in some regions
• Lag time of groundwater
response to changes in
fertiliser application
See also:
Bouraoui and Grizzetti (2011)
Science of The Total Environment
60
5000
50
4000
40
3000
30
2000
20
1000
10
Other
Point sources
Agriculture
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
0
1986
0
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
6000
1985
Water Flow
60
300
50
250
40
200
30
150
20
100
Other
Point sources
Agriculture
Water Flow
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
0
1988
0
1987
10
1986
50
1985
Grizzetti, Bouraoui, Aloe (2011)
Global Change Biology
350
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
Phosphorus Load - European Seas
Total P Load (1000 tonP)
Total N Load (1000 tonN)
Nutrients discharged to the European seas
1985-2005
Nitrogen Load - European Seas
Other
1200
Nitrogen Load - Mediterranean Sea
12
1000
10
800
8
600
6
400
4
200
2
0
0
Other
Point sources
Agriculture
Water Flow
Point sources
Agriculture
200
100
0
800
700
600
10
500
400
8
300
6
200
4
100
0
2
0
Water Flow
Water Flow
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
300
2005
400
2004
500
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2003
600
2002
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
700
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
Agriculture
1996
1995
1994
1993
0
Point sources
1992
12
1991
Nitrogen Load - Atlantic Sea
1990
Other
1989
0
Water Flow
1988
2
1986
1985
0
1987
200
Total N Load (1000 tonN)
Nitrogen Load - North Sea
1986
4
1985
400
Total N Load (1000 tonN)
12
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
600
2005
6
2004
800
2003
8
2002
1000
2001
1200
2000
10
1999
0
1998
200
2
1997
400
1996
4
1995
600
1994
6
1993
800
1992
10
1991
1000
8
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
1200
1990
1400
1989
Total N Load (1000 tonN)
1600
1988
1400
Water Flow (1000 m3/s)
1600
1987
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
Agriculture
1986
Agriculture
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
Point sources
1985
Point sources
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
Other
Total N Load (1000 tonN)
Other
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
Total N Load (1000 tonN)
Nitrogen discharged per regional sea
1985-2005
Nitrogen Load - Baltic Sea
Water Flow
Nitrogen Load - Black Sea
12
Nutrients concentration from 1985 to 2005
6.00
Nitrogen
4.00
Atlantic Sea
Mediterranean Sea
3.00
0.50Sea
North
Baltic
0.45Sea
2.00
Phosphorus
Total P concentration mg/L
Black Sea
0.40
All Seas
0.00
Grizzetti, Bouraoui, Aloe (2011)
Global Change Biology
0.35
0.30
0.25
A
0.20
M
0.15
N
0.10
B
0.05
B
0.00
A
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
1.00
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Total N concentration mg/L
5.00
N:P ratio in European coastal waters
from 1985 to 2005
35
30
Baltic Sea
North Sea
Atlantic Sea
20
Med Sea
Black Sea
15
All EU seas
10
5
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
N:P ratio
25
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Nitrogen Damage Costs & Sources
EU Damage cost: 70 - 320 billion € / year
Nature 14 April 2011
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Effects of policies
EU and international legislation
Recommendations:
• Reduction of nitrogen in waste water discharges, but
diffuse pollution from agriculture still remains a major
threat for waters
Reduce the primary
N inputs to the river
basin
• Policy tools are available within the European Union and
under international conventions but their full
implementation has not been achieved yet
Implementation of
existing policy
• In many cases a delay in the water quality response to
the implementation of measures have been observed
Design site specific
mitigation measures
• The issue of pollution swapping between environmental
compartments has appeared as an important element to
be considered by both the scientific and policy prospective
Encourage
integration in
sectoral policies
The European Nitrogen Assessment
7 ENA measures
Seven key actions for better nitrogen management
Agriculture
(1) Improving nitrogen use efficiency in crop production.
(2) Improving nitrogen use efficiency in animal production.
(3) Increasing the fertilizer N equivalence value of animal manure
Reduce N diffuse
inputs
Transport and industry
(4) Low-emission combustion and energy-efficient systems
Reduce N atm inputs
Waste water treatment
(5) Recycling nitrogen (and phosphorus) from waste water systems
Societal consumption patterns
(6) Energy and transport saving
(7) Lowering the human consumption of animal protein
Reduce N point
inputs
Reduce all N
inputs
All measures have a positive
effect on water quality
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Key messages
•
Each year Europe exports to its seas 4 times more N than the natural background and
this is only the 20% of the antrophogenic nitrogen input in the watershed (Nr retained
in soils and aquifers, and Nr lost to the atmosphere is unknown).
•
A significant part of the European population could be potentially exposed to high
nitrate values in drinking water if adequate treatments were not in place. Many of
European aquatic ecosystems are eutrophic or at risk of eutrophication.
•
The continuous nitrogen export to water pose a threat to to the provision of goods
and services from the aquatic ecosystem and reduces its resilience
•
Nitrogen concentrations in European rivers, lakes, aquifers and coastal waters are high
in many regionsand do not show significant decreasing trends.
•
Even under favourable land use scenarios the nitrogen export to European waters and
seas is likely to remain significant in the near future
•
The full implementation of the existing N regulations is necessary, together with the
integration of the sectoral policies to reduce N cascade and avoid pollution swapping
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Key messages: a picture
N input is 4 times more than
the natural background
Threats:
- Human health
- Aquatic ecosystem health
- Provision of good and services
Trends: Not significan decrease
Scenarios: N export is likely to remain high
Our political and societal choice
Way forward:
Full implementation of the existing N
regulations and integration of the sectoral
policies to reduce N cascade and avoid
pollution swapping
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Thank you
[email protected]
Download the assessment at:
www.nine-esf.org/ENA