– STATE (Air quality): this block describes the “condition of different environmental compartments and systems“. Here, we refer to STATE as the concentrations of air pollutants resulting from the PRESSURES defined in the previous
block. In IAM implementations, STATE can sometimes be directly measured,
but more often it is computed using some kind of air quality model.
– IMPACT: this block describes “any alteration of environmental conditions or
creation of a new set of environmental conditions, adverse or beneficial, caused
or induced by the action or set of actions under consideration”. In the proposed
framework, we refer to IMPACT on human health, vegetation, ecosystem, etc.
derived by a modification of the STATE. Again the calculation of the IMPACT
may be based on some measure, but normally requires a set of models (e.g.
health impacts are often evaluated using dose-response functions).
– RESPONSES: this block describes the “attempts to prevent, compensate,
ameliorate or adapt to changes in the state of the environment”. In our framework, this block describes all the measures that could be applied, at a
regional/local scale, to improve the STATE and reduce IMPACT.
It is worthwhile to note that the scheme in Fig. 2.2 is integrated with “higher”
decision levels. This means that for each block some information is provided by
“external” (not described in the scheme) components. For instance, the variables
under DRIVERS may depend on GDP growth, population dynamics, etc.; the
STATE may also depend on pollution coming from other regions/states; or the
RESPONSES may be constrained by economic factors. Each block can thus be seen
as receiving external forcing inputs that are not shown explicitly in Fig. 2.2, since
they cannot be influenced (or just marginally) by the actions under consideration.
Fig. 2.2 The DPSIR scheme adapted to IAM of air quality at regional/local scale
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N. Blond et al.
block. In IAM implementations, STATE can sometimes be directly measured,
but more often it is computed using some kind of air quality model.
– IMPACT: this block describes “any alteration of environmental conditions or
creation of a new set of environmental conditions, adverse or beneficial, caused
or induced by the action or set of actions under consideration”. In the proposed
framework, we refer to IMPACT on human health, vegetation, ecosystem, etc.
derived by a modification of the STATE. Again the calculation of the IMPACT
may be based on some measure, but normally requires a set of models (e.g.
health impacts are often evaluated using dose-response functions).
– RESPONSES: this block describes the “attempts to prevent, compensate,
ameliorate or adapt to changes in the state of the environment”. In our framework, this block describes all the measures that could be applied, at a
regional/local scale, to improve the STATE and reduce IMPACT.
It is worthwhile to note that the scheme in Fig. 2.2 is integrated with “higher”
decision levels. This means that for each block some information is provided by
“external” (not described in the scheme) components. For instance, the variables
under DRIVERS may depend on GDP growth, population dynamics, etc.; the
STATE may also depend on pollution coming from other regions/states; or the
RESPONSES may be constrained by economic factors. Each block can thus be seen
as receiving external forcing inputs that are not shown explicitly in Fig. 2.2, since
they cannot be influenced (or just marginally) by the actions under consideration.
Fig. 2.2 The DPSIR scheme adapted to IAM of air quality at regional/local scale
12
N. Blond et al.