Eutrophication and Greenhouse Gases
Scientific research on eutrophication and greenhouse gas emission has been carried out in the intensely managed and dredged estuaries of the Ems and Elbe river.
Here, the analysis focused on the linkages between eutrophication, nutrient regeneration and climate change to find sustainable development options. The investigation on the Ems showed that biochemical properties like sediment load and estuarine morphology considerably affect nutrient turnover and removal (Schulz et al. 2021). This work will be presented to actors and used to inform possible management options and regulations and complement the analysis of actors’ perception of eutrophication and its regulation through administrative practices.
Desktop research undertaken, furthermore, indicates that there is almost no social science research on such issues from the perspective of governance issues. For this gap to be closed, a series of 20 interviews with members of regulative bodies and administration is conducted which indicate that frictions exist between federal level regulations, regional governance management and actors along the river-basin communities.
The top-down rational of national governance in Germany is recognized as a problem by all actors. Meanwhile, research has been performed on the interplay between estuarine physics and ecology in relation to eutrophication (Pein et al 2021a; Pein, Staneva, Daewel & Schrum 2021b).