De Groot, Rudolf

Pinto Correia, Teresa

Simoncini, Riccardo

English

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EDITORIALAn integrated approach to assess options for multi-functional useof rural areas: special issue ‘‘Regional Environmental Change’’Riccardo Simoncini Æ Rudolf De Groot ÆTeresa Pinto CorreiaReceived: 3 December 2008 / Accepted: 8 December 2008 / Published online: 24 December 2008 Springer-Verlag 2008The concept of rural development has undergone animportant transformation process during the last decades,which went hand-in-hand with changes in the Europeancountryside and new demands from society. In the late1980s, rural policy underwent a strategic rethinking; in1988, with the Communication on The Future of RuralSociety, the European Commission promoted the idea of‘‘rural development from within’’, according to whichendogenous social and environmental resources were tosubstitute exogenous resources in rural developmentpolicies.In 1992, these ideas influenced the McSharry Reform ofthe EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Besides thebeginning of decoupling of agricultural subsidies fromproduction, the most important accompanying measures ofthe 1992 CAP reform aimed at the promotion of agriculturebased on quality production and respect for the environ-ment, including payments to farmers operating in lessfavoured areas. This was promoted through measures suchas the introduction of compulsory set-aside arrangementsfor arable lands, the adoption of agri-environmentalmeasures, and new afforestation measures. The wholestrategy aimed both at the agricultural sector and at thewider economic development of rural areas.In 1996, the Cork Conference on Rural Developmentpromoted the idea of rural development integrating thesocial, environmental and economic dimensions of ruralareas. The ideas of the Cork Declaration were elaborated inthe Agenda 2000 strategy (1997) and introduced the RuralDevelopment policy based on the idea of a multifunctionalagricultural sector encouraging the development of alter-native sources of income in rural areas while safeguardingthe environment, which should also help facing the reformof the Common Markets Organisation.The main objectives of the following 1999 CAP Reformregarding rural development, which became the secondpillar of the CAP, aimed at the integration of the structuralpolicy into rural development, the promotion of the mul-tifunctional character of agriculture, the improvement ofthe quality and safety of agricultural production throughenvironmental sustainable practices, and more attention toMember States and specific needs of regions. The 1999CAP Reform promoted a better integration of rural devel-opment and environmental considerations into the CAP, byincluding all the accompanying measures on support forrural development. Agri-environmental measures becamecompulsory for rural development plans, while stillremaining voluntary for farmers.Finally, the main economic objectives of the 2003 mid-term reform were to make the CAP simpler, more con-sumer and tax payer oriented, to help farmers to becomemore competitive and more market oriented in their deci-sions, to safeguard the rural economy and the environment,to facilitate World Trade Organization (WTO) talksthrough a less trade distorting support system, and toincrease the quality of agricultural products. The 2003 CAPR. Simoncini (&)Economic Sciences Department, University of Florence,Via delle Pandette 9, 50127 Florence, Italye-mail: riccardo.simoncini@unifi.itR. De GrootEnvironmental Systems Analysis Group,Wageningen UR, Droevendaalsesteeg 4 (Building 104),P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlandse-mail: dolf.degroot@wur.nlT. Pinto CorreiaMediterranean Ecosystems and Landscapes Group/ICAM,University of Evora, Colégio Luis Verney, 7000 Evora, Portugale-mail: mtpc@uevora.pt123Reg Environ Change (2009) 9:139–141DOI 10.1007/s10113-008-0079-zreform, for what regards the first pillar, introduced a singlepayment scheme for EU farms, ‘‘decoupled’’ from pro-duction. The single payment is subject to compulsorycross-compliance: the respect of Statutory ManagementRequirements (a ‘priority list’ of 18 statutory Europeanstandards in the fields of environment, food safety, animalhealth and welfare has been established), and of GoodAgricultural and Environmental Conditions. In case afarmer would not respect cross-compliance, there will besanctions and cuts in direct payments. Regarding the sec-ond pillar, agri-environmental payments are allowed onlyfor real production of environmental goods and services,which go beyond the respect of cross-compliance and EUand National environmental legislation. Payments areallowed also for the management of NATURA 2000 sites,and in some countries, they focus on these areas mainly. Inorder to fund rural development policy a separate fund wascreated for Pillar 2, the European Agricultural Fund forRural Development (EAFRD).There is no doubt that these two last reforms of the CAPhave led to a significant change in how to interpret andimplement rural development based on a European modelof multifunctional agriculture. However, despite this pro-gress in the framework for EU rural development policy,there is still a lack of methodologies for assessing theprocesses influencing the implementation in a differenti-ated European countryside. There is also a lack of practicalgovernance tools and instruments that have been tested andhave proven to function in different contexts or that can beadapted to these differences. These two components arerequired in order to support decision makers and relevantstakeholders in implementing sound development pro-grammes based on the realisation of multifunctionalopportunities for rural areas.This special issue therefore presents seven inter-disci-plinary papers, dealing with some of the main concepts,methods and empirical analysis that need to be addressed toeffectively face the challenge of the ongoing changes in therural landscape. These papers aim to contribute to theknowledge base needed to improve the application of themultifunctional land use approach in designing integratedrural development policies and propose effective tools andinstruments to achieve it.Four papers are based on the results of the project on‘‘Agri-Environmental Measures for Biodiversity Assess-ment and Conservation’’ (AEMBAC) (EU 5th FrameworkProgramme on Quality of Life, contract Ref. QLRT-1999-31666). The AEMBAC project defined a common Euro-pean analytical framework for the development of localagri-environmental programmes for biodiversity and land-scape conservation. The framework developed was testedin 15 case study areas in 7 European countries. The resultsachieved have been the development of a methodology toassess the impacts exerted by agricultural pressures on thelocal environment, the development of a methodology todesign agri-environmental measures at local level; and thedevelopment of a methodology to implement the agri-environmental measures developed.The Special Issue is structured as follows:In order to explain the methodology and policy tools andinstruments proposed to implement the multifunctionalland use concept, the first paper, by Teresa Pinto-Correiaand Bas Bremam, considers the need to define differenti-ated strategies for differentiated rural areas, and introducesa methodology to identify typologies of rural areasaccording to the functions they support and the role thatfarming can play in each type of area in the future.Paper 2, by Riccardo Simoncini, focuses on applying themultifunctional approach to the delivering of environ-mental goods and services by introducing the underlyingscientific rationale and proposed methodological steps tointegrate different environmental functions in the devel-opment of agri-environmental measures for conservation ofbiodiversity and landscape, according to the results of theAEMBAC project.Paper 3, by Paolo Bazzoffi, shows how the implemen-tation of the AEMBAC methodology could prove itself auseful tool to also assess control of soil erosion and waterrunoff by selecting indicators and identifying environ-mental minimum requirements in order to develop sitespecific agri-environmental measures.Paper 4, by Francesco Felici and Michael Lütz, explainshow the Driving force, Pressure, State, Impact, Response(DPSIR) approach has been used by the AEMBAC meth-odology to identify driving forces and related pressures thataffect the supply of environmental functions in selectedagro-ecosystems.Paper 5, by Barbara Neumann and Michael Lütz,introduces the use of Geographical Information System(GIS) for spatial analysis in assessment of agri-environ-mental measures developed by the AEMBACmethodology.The last two papers of this special issue focus on socialand economic functions of rural areas. They introduce newemerging issues to be considered when developing ruraldevelopment programmes In paper 6, by Vassiliki Kazanaand Angelos Kazaklis, a method to assess quality of life inrural areas at the local level is explored. Paper 7 by FilippoRandelli, sets the focus on the supply of biomass energy byagro-ecosystems, describing a cost-benefit analysis of bio-fuels in a multifunctional agricultural context integratingeconomic and environmental considerations.From the papers of this special issue it emerges that inorder to improve the integration of scientific results intoland policy and rural development, both at local andEuropean levels, is necessary to further enhance:140 R. Simoncini et al.123• the selection of scientifically based suitable indicatorsto analyse and measure the supply of environmentalgoods and services provided by agriculture underdifferent management regimes;• the gathering of more precise ecological, economic andsocial information to make trade-offs between differentrural development objectives (e.g. a science baseddefinition of ‘‘good farming practices’’ at local level isneeded, as well as a clearer definition of risks anduncertainties with regard to unsustainable agriculturalpractices);• the implementation of a more effective monitoringsystem of impacts on the environment and conse-quently a better evaluation of agri-environmentalmeasures effectiveness and efficiency;• the development of programmes for agricultural sus-tainability and conservation of European biodiversityand landscapes;• the enhancement of transparency and a wider applica-tion of the subsidiarity principle in managing agri-environment programmes;• the increase of environmental awareness amongst EUcitizens;• the diversification of rural economies by enhancing theprovision of environmental goods and services; and• the provision of scientific support to the concept ofmultifunctionality in agriculture (e.g. in relevant inter-national fora such as WTO) by measuring the supply ofall environmental goods and services.We hope that the results from this special issue will beof use to EU institutions, Member States, Regional andlocal administrations, Farmers’ organisations, Environ-mental organisations, and Rural Development Planners, tomake the rural landscape in Europe more attractive, pro-ductive and sustainable.An integrated approach to assess options for multi-functional use of rural areas 141123

An integrated approach to assess options for multi-functional use of rural areas: special issue "Regional Environmental Change"

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An integrated approach to assess options for multi-functional use of rural areas: special issue "Regional Environmental Change"

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