Environmental Conflicts: The Case of Acid Rain in Europe

Hettelingh, J.-P. & Hordijk, L. (1986). Environmental Conflicts: The Case of Acid Rain in Europe. IIASA Research Report (Reprint). IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: RR-87-009. Reprinted from Annals of Regional Science, 20 [1986].

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Abstract

The acid rain problem is transboundary in nature: sulfur emissions in one country may lead to deposition of sulfur in a receptor country. A policy conflict may arise in estimating the damage at some receptor due to the various pollutant sources.

This paper first reviews the international policy context that led to the development of the Regional Acidification Informational and Simulation (RAINS) model. The model computes sulfur emissions, transport and deposition which is then transferred into soil and lake acidity. The model is an interactive tool designed to assist policy makers in evaluating the effect of the control measures related to sulfur emissions. A mathematical description of the model is provided followed by a set of objective functions to be introduced within the RAINS model. The current interactive usage of RAINS will be extended with the possibility for the decision maker to progressively define objectives and set constraints in order to obtain an optimal policy.

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