Nitrogen water pollution trading: A sustainable solution for future food production

<p>Current change in dietary preferences brings an increase in food production. A high demand can lead to food security challenges and pressure on the agriculture sector. The agriculture sector has the largest environmental impact on water pollution due to its fertiliser usage, therefore better water management is essential to maintain its quality and availability. This research proposes a nitrogen water pollution trading model that addresses the above challenge. It incentivises farmers to continue making profit whilst reducing pollution simultaneously. We model a mathematical mixed-integer program that simulates farmers behaviour in participating in nitrogen trading based on the catchment regulation as well as their own pollution license. We apply the model amongst four local farms in the agricultural county of Suffolk, Eastern England. Emphasis has been implemented on the total oxidised nitrogen exhibited by each farm, predominantly nitrate. The nitrogen water pollution residue cost of the crops grown on each farm was applied into the model. We discuss how the trading platform can help the framers to participate in trading, increase their crop growth while maintaining the pollution regulation.</p>

Moving Pollution Trading from Air to Water: Potential, Problems, and Prognosis

This paper seeks to assess the current status of water quality trading and to identify possible problems and solutions. Water pollution permit trading programs have rarely been comprehensively described and analyzed in the peer-reviewed literature. Including active programs and completed or otherwise inactive programs, we identify approximately three dozen initiatives. We describe six criteria for successful pollution trading programs and consider how these apply to standard water quality problems, as compared to air quality. We then highlight some important issues to be resolved if current water quality trading programs are to function as the “leading edge” of a new frontier in cost-effective pollution permit trading in the United States.