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The alignment of agricultural and nature conservation policies in the European Union
Author(s) -
Hodge Ian,
Hauck Jennifer,
Bonn Aletta
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1111/cobi.12531
Subject(s) - incentive , agriculture , business , natural resource economics , direct payments , government (linguistics) , common agricultural policy , european union , natura 2000 , agricultural policy , environmental resource management , ecosystem services , economic interventionism , biodiversity , environmental planning , payment , geography , economics , ecosystem , ecology , economic policy , political science , finance , philosophy , linguistics , archaeology , biology , microeconomics , law , politics
Europe is a region of relatively high population density and productive agriculture subject to substantial government intervention under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Many habitats and species of high conservation interest have been created by the maintenance of agricultural practices over long periods. These practices are often no longer profitable, and nature conservation initiatives require government support to cover the cost for them to be continued. The CAP has been reformed both to reduce production of agricultural commodities at costs in excess of world prices and to establish incentives for landholders to adopt voluntary conservation measures. A separate nature conservation policy has established an extensive series of protected sites (Natura 2000) that has, as yet, failed to halt the loss of biodiversity. Additional broader scale approaches have been advocated for conservation in the wider landscape matrix, including the alignment of agricultural and nature conservation policies, which remains a challenge. Possibilities for alignment include further shifting of funds from general support for farmers toward targeted payments for biodiversity goals at larger scales and adoption of an ecosystem approach. The European response to the competing demands for land resources may offer lessons globally as demands on rural land increase.