Yuelu Xu , Levan Elbakidze , Haw Yen , Jeffrey G. Arnold , Philip W. Gassman , Jason Hubbart , Michael P. Strager
{"title":"Integrated assessment of nitrogen runoff to the Gulf of Mexico","authors":"Yuelu Xu , Levan Elbakidze , Haw Yen , Jeffrey G. Arnold , Philip W. Gassman , Jason Hubbart , Michael P. Strager","doi":"10.1016/j.reseneeco.2021.101279","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>An integrated hydro-economic agricultural land use model was developed with endogenous and spatially explicit crop planting, nitrogen (N) fertilizer use and irrigation in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB). We used the model to quantify the effects of energy and N fertilizer prices on N runoff to the Gulf of Mexico. Results show a modest effect of energy costs and a more substantive impact of N fertilizer costs on N delivered to the Gulf of Mexico. A 30 % reduction (increase) in N fertilizer price leads to a 3.5 % and 1.5 % increase (2.9 % and 1.5 % decrease) in N use and runoff, respectively. The model was also used to estimate the opportunity cost of N runoff abatement. The opportunity cost of reducing N runoff from crop production to the Gulf by 45 % is estimated to be $6 billion annually, which corresponds to an average cost of $29.3 per kg of N runoff reduction. The results show heterogeneities in the optimal N runoff reduction efforts across counties within the MRB, demonstrating the significance of a targeted abatement strategy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":47952,"journal":{"name":"Resource and Energy Economics","volume":"67 ","pages":"Article 101279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2022-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928765521000646/pdfft?md5=be844588b8b7a65a2793611957ca5c34&pid=1-s2.0-S0928765521000646-main.pdf","citationCount":"8","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Resource and Energy Economics","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928765521000646","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 8
Abstract
An integrated hydro-economic agricultural land use model was developed with endogenous and spatially explicit crop planting, nitrogen (N) fertilizer use and irrigation in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB). We used the model to quantify the effects of energy and N fertilizer prices on N runoff to the Gulf of Mexico. Results show a modest effect of energy costs and a more substantive impact of N fertilizer costs on N delivered to the Gulf of Mexico. A 30 % reduction (increase) in N fertilizer price leads to a 3.5 % and 1.5 % increase (2.9 % and 1.5 % decrease) in N use and runoff, respectively. The model was also used to estimate the opportunity cost of N runoff abatement. The opportunity cost of reducing N runoff from crop production to the Gulf by 45 % is estimated to be $6 billion annually, which corresponds to an average cost of $29.3 per kg of N runoff reduction. The results show heterogeneities in the optimal N runoff reduction efforts across counties within the MRB, demonstrating the significance of a targeted abatement strategy.
期刊介绍:
Resource and Energy Economics provides a forum for high level economic analysis of utilization and development of the earth natural resources. The subject matter encompasses questions of optimal production and consumption affecting energy, minerals, land, air and water, and includes analysis of firm and industry behavior, environmental issues and public policies. Implications for both developed and developing countries are of concern. The journal publishes high quality papers for an international audience. Innovative energy, resource and environmental analyses, including theoretical models and empirical studies are appropriate for publication in Resource and Energy Economics.