Title: Interest of site-specific pollution control policies: the case of nitrate pollution from agriculture

Authors: A. Lacroix, F. Bel, A. Mollard, E. Sauboua

Addresses: Laboratoire GAEL, UMR INRA-Universite Pierre Mendes France, BP 47 38040, Grenoble Cedex 09, France. ' Laboratoire GAEL, UMR INRA-Universite Pierre Mendes France, BP 47 38040, Grenoble Cedex 09, France. ' Laboratoire GAEL, UMR INRA-Universite Pierre Mendes France, BP 47 38040, Grenoble Cedex 09, France. ' Unite INRA PSDR de Grenoble, BP 47 38040, Grenoble Cedex 09, France

Abstract: Theoritically, spatially targeted environmental policies are considered optimal, since economic agents tune their efforts according to their environment. But this advantage can be undermined by the high cost of information. We posit that it is possible to reduce the spatial scale and simultaneously to limit costs and retain environmental effectiveness. In this paper we consider the example of the nitrate pollution of water on two sites in France. Using a bio-physical model coupled with an economic model, we conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of various solutions to mitigate water pollution and we suggest a guideline for investigating the trade-off between the scale of abatement effort and the abatement effectiveness.

Keywords: nonpoint pollution; spatial heterogenity; site-specific policy; cost effectiveness analysis; best management practices; pollution control; nitrate pollution; water pollution; agriculture; environmental policy; abatement effort; abatement effectiveness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2007.012142

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2007 Vol.6 No.1, pp.45 - 59

Published online: 24 Jan 2007 *

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