The ALPHA Benefits Assessment model

Objective

To quantify the health and environmental benefits of emission control strategies in monetary terms.

Model characteristics

The benefit assessment follows a logical progression through the following stages:

• Quantification of emissions (in CAFE, covered by the RAINS model);
• Description of pollutant dispersion across Europe (in CAFE, covered by the RAINS and EMEP models)
• Quantification of exposure of people, environment and buildings that are affected by air pollution
• Quantification of the impacts of air pollution
• Valuation of the impacts
• Description of uncertainties (in CAFE, with specific reference to their effect on the balance of the costs of pollution control quantified by the RAINS model and their associated benefits).

Typical features and results

• The quantification of impacts varies depending on the availability of data and models:

  • For health impacts, damage to crops and damage to building materials, it is generally possible to quantify the impacts including their values. Uncertainties can be addressed using statistical methods and sensitivity analysis.
  • For damage to ecosystems and cultural heritage, it is possible to quantify the impacts relative to a measure of risk. However, it is not possible to value these impacts in the analysis. Examples of risk measures include:
    • the rate of deposition of acidifying pollutants relative to the critical load for acidification (as an indicator of the risk of acidification to biodiversity), and
    • the rate of corrosion of building materials as an indicator of risks to historic monuments.

  Other impacts may not currently be quantifiable in terms of impact or monetary value, permitting only a qualitative analysis. Examples include reduced visibility from air pollution and the social dimensions of health impacts.

  The benefit assessment provides monetary quantifications of health and environmental benefits (to the extent these can be quantified) and their uncertainties.

Data sources

• Population data provided by IIASA
• Land use data provided by the CCE Impacts database

Input from other EC4MACS models

• Quantification of the physical benefits of emission control strategies (from the GAINS model)
• Detailed temporal profiles of air quality indicators for emission control scenarios (from the EMEP model)
• Databases on the sensitivity of ecosystems towards acid and nitrogen deposition and ozone concentrations (from the CCE Impact models)

Output to other EC4MACS models

• Output is used for the overall assessment

Developed by

• AEAT Technology
• ERMC, Mike Holland

Link:

• Report on Cost Benefit Methodology