Nutrient pollution is one of the main causes of impairment of water quality. Recent studies estimated that nitrogen pollution-related damage in EU27 ranges between 70 and 320 billion Euro each year, equivalent to 150–750 euro/capita (Brink et al. 2011).Agriculture is the main source of nitrogen loading (EEA 2012) and is the sector with the largest remaining emission reduction potential (Sutton et al. 2011). A nutrient defi ciency can reduce soil fertility and crop yields, but a nutrient surplus, in excess of crop and forage needs can lead to nutrient release in the environment and, potentially, to water contamination. Surpluses of nitrogen and phosphate are forecast to grow in the next decade, while those of potash are likely to remain more or less stable (FAO 2008). This trend is expected in spite of the fact that the price of nitrogenbased fertilizers has almost doubled from year 2000 to 2010, when the yearly increase was on average equal to 10% in the US (USDA 2012). The value of main agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers and fuel, represent more than one third of the value of agricultural income in Italy (Fanfani and Gutierrez 2011). The European Union efforts to reduce nutrient over enrichment of waters were put into action since the early ’90s with the enactment of the Nitrates Directive (1991), which aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The Common Agricultural Policy also contributes to the mitigation of pollution of waters by nitrates, mainly through Rural Development measures. The intervention strategy is based on direct support to farmers who will voluntary apply agri-environmental measures in order to reduce nitrates pollution, such as organic farming, low input farming, cover crops, effi cient management of livestock waste and extensive farming. The EU demands an evaluation of Rural Development Plans (RDPs) from the national authorities of the European member states. The EU Commission has provided a set of indicators and evaluation criteria to be adopted for the RDPs assessment (CMEF 2006). Within the designed monitoring framework, the gross nutrient balance (baseline indicator 20), provides an estimate of the potential surplus of nitrogen and phosphorous on agricultural land (kg/ha). Nutrient balance indicators, as an environmental driving force, link to the state (or concentration) of nutrients in water bodies. This study aims to evaluate the role of RDPs implementation in preventing water quality deterioration due to nutrient runoff and infi ltration. The analysis focuses on the impact of Agri-Environmental Schemes on the reduction of nitrogen surplus through the implementation of specifi c submeasures such as organic farming, set aside, etc. In order to provide a quantitative evaluation, we applied a spatial regression model. The model aims to explain the variation of nitrogen surplus between two monitoring years: 2000 and 2010. In order to build a suitable dependent variable, we carried out a calculation of the GrossNitrogen Balance (a proxy for nitrogen surplus) at the municipality scale in Emilia-Romagna region, for both monitoring years. The study area is characterized by the presence of an intensive agricultural and livestock farming system. Gross Nitrogen Balance was calculated following the OECD and EUROSTAT method. The chapter is structured as follows: the next section describes background and study area, then methodology, results and discussion are presented.
Marconi, V., Raggi, M., Viaggi, D. (2014). A Spatial Econometric Approach to Assess the Impact of RDPs Agri-Environmental Measures on the Gross Nitrogen Balance: The Case Study of Emilia-Romagna. Boca Raton : CRC press [10.1201/b17309-13].
A Spatial Econometric Approach to Assess the Impact of RDPs Agri-Environmental Measures on the Gross Nitrogen Balance: The Case Study of Emilia-Romagna
MARCONI, VALENTINA;RAGGI, MERI;VIAGGI, DAVIDE
2014
Abstract
Nutrient pollution is one of the main causes of impairment of water quality. Recent studies estimated that nitrogen pollution-related damage in EU27 ranges between 70 and 320 billion Euro each year, equivalent to 150–750 euro/capita (Brink et al. 2011).Agriculture is the main source of nitrogen loading (EEA 2012) and is the sector with the largest remaining emission reduction potential (Sutton et al. 2011). A nutrient defi ciency can reduce soil fertility and crop yields, but a nutrient surplus, in excess of crop and forage needs can lead to nutrient release in the environment and, potentially, to water contamination. Surpluses of nitrogen and phosphate are forecast to grow in the next decade, while those of potash are likely to remain more or less stable (FAO 2008). This trend is expected in spite of the fact that the price of nitrogenbased fertilizers has almost doubled from year 2000 to 2010, when the yearly increase was on average equal to 10% in the US (USDA 2012). The value of main agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers and fuel, represent more than one third of the value of agricultural income in Italy (Fanfani and Gutierrez 2011). The European Union efforts to reduce nutrient over enrichment of waters were put into action since the early ’90s with the enactment of the Nitrates Directive (1991), which aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The Common Agricultural Policy also contributes to the mitigation of pollution of waters by nitrates, mainly through Rural Development measures. The intervention strategy is based on direct support to farmers who will voluntary apply agri-environmental measures in order to reduce nitrates pollution, such as organic farming, low input farming, cover crops, effi cient management of livestock waste and extensive farming. The EU demands an evaluation of Rural Development Plans (RDPs) from the national authorities of the European member states. The EU Commission has provided a set of indicators and evaluation criteria to be adopted for the RDPs assessment (CMEF 2006). Within the designed monitoring framework, the gross nutrient balance (baseline indicator 20), provides an estimate of the potential surplus of nitrogen and phosphorous on agricultural land (kg/ha). Nutrient balance indicators, as an environmental driving force, link to the state (or concentration) of nutrients in water bodies. This study aims to evaluate the role of RDPs implementation in preventing water quality deterioration due to nutrient runoff and infi ltration. The analysis focuses on the impact of Agri-Environmental Schemes on the reduction of nitrogen surplus through the implementation of specifi c submeasures such as organic farming, set aside, etc. In order to provide a quantitative evaluation, we applied a spatial regression model. The model aims to explain the variation of nitrogen surplus between two monitoring years: 2000 and 2010. In order to build a suitable dependent variable, we carried out a calculation of the GrossNitrogen Balance (a proxy for nitrogen surplus) at the municipality scale in Emilia-Romagna region, for both monitoring years. The study area is characterized by the presence of an intensive agricultural and livestock farming system. Gross Nitrogen Balance was calculated following the OECD and EUROSTAT method. The chapter is structured as follows: the next section describes background and study area, then methodology, results and discussion are presented.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
