Nonmarket benefits from Brest natural harbour preservation

Abstract

Brest natural harbour was chosen by the European Community as a pilot site in respect to improvements in coastal water quality. The depollution program will be financed by the Community, the French government and regional authorities. there are two problems to be resolved in priority: microbe contamination from urban sources and over enrichment in nutrients from agricultural sources. This paper deals with the non-market value, which local people give to water quality in the harbour. Our objectives are to improve the knowledge about the demand for nautral assets in France, and simultaneously to prepare a cost-benefit analysis, which will help decision-making concerning the restoration of the harbour. In an on site survey carried out in summer 1993, we realised a contigent valuation for two goods: 1) improved water salubrity, and 2) preservation of the ecosystem against eutrophication (under uncertainty). The corresponding WTP's were explained using tobit models. Whatever the good, the WTP was seen to rise with revenue. However, whilst the WTP "salubrity" was affected by environmental sensibility and the awareness of local pollution, it is above all education, which affected the WTP "ecosystem". On whole, the residents accepted the exercise of contingent valuation and were willing to give important amounts (FF 215 and FF 160 on average per household per year respectively for goods 1 and 2). The behavioural differences between both goods and the significance of the WTP's thus obtained are discussed.