balancing Nitrogen and Phosphorus flOWs by budgEting at Regional scale

Adopting effective technologies and practices to improve the management of N/P flows remains a challenge.

Additionally, the local dimension of N/P sources and the diversity of water and soil ecosystems across different locations limit the impact of uniform policy measures and related governance models. Addressing this is a priority of EU environmental governance.

NPower will create four Regional Clusters (RCs), to guarantee representativity, replicability and impact of developed solutions at EU level: RC1 in Spain (representing South Europe), RC2 in Belgium (Central Europe), RC3 in Finland (North Europe), and RC4 in Ireland (West/Insular Europe).

We will act in the paradigmatic region of Murcia, Spain, in which the main challenges of the management of N/P flows are represented, and involve the other 3 RCs to assure the solutions developed are applicable in as many European realities as possible, helping restore ecosystems across the EU.

To do so, NPower will 1) model N/P flows across the 5 key sectors to create a regional N/P budget for RC1, 2) demonstrate 6 recovery technologies, 8 recovered fertilizers and 20 BMPs within and among covered sectors that reduce and promote circular economy schemes, 3) design and showcase region-tailored governance measures to halt air, water, and soil N/P pollution, 4) guarantee EU representativity via knowledge transfer among RCs, and 5) disseminate effective N/P limiting solutions to practitioners and policy makers at local, regional, national and EU level.

NPower solutions will be assessed on their environmental, socio-economic and behavioural effect. NPower will avoid the emission of 483 k ton N and 2.1 M ton P, saving the EU 14.3B€.

Guidance for practice and recommendations will contribute to harmonised regional policies and regulations in line with the key EU directives and strategies (Water Framework Directive, Nitrates Directive, European Green Deal, Clean Environment & Zero Pollution ambition, and Bioeconomy Strategy.