Summary of results

Abstract

In Part I of this book the research questions of the Metals programme were introduced. Research question 1 refers to obtaining an overview of the flows and stocks of the four selected heavy metals in the Netherlands. To establish the linkages between the economy and the environment in a quantitative manner such an overview is not sufficient. From the perspective of managing these metals, the relations between the flows and stocks, and between the flows and economic or environmental variables, are important. These relations are the subject of research question 2: how can these flows and stocks be modelled? A number of models have been developed in the course of the research programme, as described in Part II. The application of these models to describe and analyse (parts of) the problem of heavy metals is treated in Part III. The core models developed and used in the Metals programme are metabolic models, describing (aspects of) the metals’ metabolism in the Netherlands, i.e. the physical relations between the flows and stocks of the four heavy metals in the Dutch economy and environment. In addition, models have been developed that address the economic driving forces behind these flows and stocks. Establishing a link between the driving forces and the flows and stocks has been attempted successfully at the micro-level. Another important aspect concerns the scale level on which the models are operational. This contributes to the validation of the models, to the analysis of uncertainty and also to the identification of mechanisms of spatial problem-shifting. In Section V.1.2 the developed models and methods are discussed.