A recent study by researchers Simone Schucht, Frédéric Tognet, and Laurent Létinois of the French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (Ineris) reveals significant economic and agricultural losses due to tropospheric ozone exposure in Europe, with potatoes suffering heavily in 2022. The study, officially published on 29 November 2024, estimates that ozone exposure led to a loss of 3.2 million tonnes of potatoes across Europe, valued at €680 million.
The study is titled “Wheat and potato yield loss in 2022 in Europe due to ozone exposure“.
Tropospheric Ozone’s Impact on Potato Yields
Tropospheric ozone, a harmful air pollutant, can adversely affect crops by reducing yields and quality. Using the advanced PODy (phytotoxic ozone dose above a threshold y) indicator, developed by the IPC-Vegetation under the Air Convention, the researchers assessed the extent of potato yield losses. Their detailed modeling applied high-resolution spatial data to calculate losses at the regional (NUTS 2) and national levels across Europe.
The Scope of Potato Yield Losses
The report’s findings show that Germany bore the brunt of potato losses, with 933,000 tonnes of crops impacted (€197 million), followed by France (615,000 tonnes or €130 million), the Netherlands (445,000 tonnes or €94 million), Poland (360,000 tonnes or €76 million), and Belgium (€56.5 million). The economic toll of these losses varied across countries but represented a significant setback for Europe’s agricultural sector.
In terms of percentage losses, the hardest-hit countries were Czechia (10%), Slovenia (8.9%), Germany (8%), and France (7%). On average, European potato yields dropped by 4% in 2022, underscoring the pervasive effects of ozone exposure.
Economic Implications and Future Recommendations
At an aggregated European level, the economic loss for potatoes was estimated at €680 million in the reference case. Sensitivity analyses using simplified methodologies (SENS1 and SENS2) showed slight reductions in estimated losses (€655 million and €650 million, respectively). However, the researchers strongly recommend maintaining high-resolution spatial modeling to ensure precision, particularly given the localized variations in ozone impacts.
The study concludes that while current ozone levels are lower than in past decades, the economic and agricultural effects remain substantial. For potatoes—a vital crop in Europe’s agriculture and food sectors—these findings underscore the urgent need to address ozone pollution and its impact on crop production.
A Call to Action
This report highlights a pressing issue for policymakers, researchers, and farmers alike. Mitigating ozone levels could protect Europe’s potato crops and reduce the economic burden on the agricultural sector. As the researchers advise, continuing to employ detailed, spatially accurate methods will be essential for assessing and addressing future challenges.
This significant research provides a compelling case for further action on air quality and its effects on agriculture, ensuring that staple crops like potatoes can thrive in the face of environmental challenges.
Chart: Economic cost of potato yield losses due to O3 exposure in 36 European countries in 2022 in million euros
The production loss in thousand euros (expressed in price base of 2022) is indicated on the X-axis, the countries on the y-axis. Numbers for losses are shown in million of euros.
Chart credit: European Environment Agency, originally published here
Source: The study was published as a European Topic Centre on Human Health and the Environment (ETC HE) report on the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) website. Find a brief overview here. Download the full report as a pdf file here.
Image: Credit René Schaubhut from Pixabay
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