Guidelines For Cost Effective Agri Environmental Policy Measures

This study identifies the most cost-effective policy instruments to address agri-environmental issues in a variety of different situations.

This study identifies the most cost-effective policy instruments to address agri-environmental issues in a variety of different situations.

The report includes a selection papers presented at the OECD Workshop on Evaluation of Agri-environmental Policies, held 20-22 June 2011.

This two-volume set collects key essays examining economic theory, methods, and issues salient to agri-environmental policy in the US and in Europe, as well as in other countries. The topics under discussion are arranged thematically and include theoretical, numerical and empirical works; all are grounded in policy and economics. The introduction to these volumes reviews the evolution of agri-environmental policies, with an important focus on the history of US policy and European agri-environmental policy. A key feature within this is the importance of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US, particularly its move towards more 'market-based incentives' from the 1980s onwards. Within the European context, the effects of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) on agri-environmental programmes and schemes within the member states, are discussed. Significantly, the essays republished here have provided the knowledge base that has influenced further applied work, creating an influential impact on policy development.

Agriculture is a provider of commodities such as food, feed, fibre and fuel, and it can bring both positive and negative impacts on the environment. Yet most policy measures target farm systems, inputs and practices and agricultural infrastructure (driving forces) rather than the provision of ...

Agri-environmental payment schemes which operate as voluntary programmes that pay farmers to achieve certain environmental criteria have gained increasing interest and popularity amongst policy makers and farmers. There is growing evidence, however, that the majority of such schemes that have been implemented have had little environmental effectiveness.

This study analyses the promotion of collective action for agri-environmental public goods and addresses externalities by reviewing the experience of various OECD member countries.

The report includes a selection papers presented at the OECD Workshop on Evaluation of Agri-environmental Policies, held 20-22 June 2011.