Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture Study - Final Report Science and Technology Options Assessment Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture Study - Final Report IP/A/STOA/FWC/2008-096/LOT3/C1/SC7 May 2013 PE 488.826 STOA - Science and Technology Options Assessment The STOA project ‘Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture’ was carried out by the Institute for European Environmental Policy, BIO Intelligence Service and the Ecologic Institute. AUTHORS Jana Poláková, Project Leader, IEEP Andrew Farmer, IEEP Sandra Berman, BIO Intelligence Service Sandra Naumann, Ecologic Institute Ana Frelih-Larsen, Ecologic Institute Johanna von Toggenburg, Ecologic Institute STOA RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR Lieve Van Woensel Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) Directorate for Impact Assessment and European Added Value DG Internal Policies European Parliament Rue Wiertz 60 - RMD 00J012 B-1047 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSION: Original: EN ABOUT THE PUBLISHER To contact STOA please write to: [email protected] This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/ DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. Manuscript completed in May 2013. Brussels, © European Union, 2013. ISBN 978-92-823-4515-3 DOI 10.2861/27324 CAT BA-03-13-180-EN-C ii Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture Abstract Water is a key natural resource targeted within resource efficiency policy of the European Union, as well as globally. This study has focussed on research, technologies and options for sustainable water use and water efficiency; agricultural land management with soil and water benefits; and measures within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to address sustainable management of water and soil resources. Six key areas for improvement have been identified: (1) The legislative framework currently in place to protect Europe’s waters needs to be implemented fully and effectively as well as adequately enforced; (2) Water priorities that have been articulated at the EU level need to be more fully integrated and well implemented within the sectoral policies at EU, national and regional levels; (3) Water losses should be reduced and water savings and efficiency should be increased, in particular in agriculture and water scarce areas; (4) Land and soil management approaches aimed at combating soil erosion, preventing loss of soil organic matter, sequestering soil carbon and improving water retention are critical for long-term sustainability of farming and healthy ecosystems and should be promoted at all levels; (5) EU funds, including CAP, allocated to water priorities should be used in an efficient and effective way; and (6) improved data and decision support tools relating to water and soils are essential for making informed decisions that support sustainable management of water and soil. iii STOA - Science and Technology Options Assessment The report should be cited as follows: Poláková, J; Berman, S; Naumann, S; Frelih-Larsen, A; von Toggenburg, J; Farmer, A (2013) 'Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture'. Report Prepared for the STOA Panel of the European Parliament. Contract IP/A/STOA/FWC/2008-096/LOT3/C1/SC7. Institute for European Environmental Policy, BIO Intelligence Service, Ecologic Institute. Corresponding author: Jana Poláková, IEEP ([email protected]). Acknowledgments The authors would like to express many thanks to a number of people. They would like to thank: Kaley Hart; Kristof Geeraerts; Henrietta Menadue, Urška Trunk and Daniel Kieve (IEEP); Shailendra Mudgal; Linda Johansson, Sarah Lockwood, and Katherine Salès (BIO Intelligence Service); Ulf Stein, Elizabeth Dooley and McKenna Davis (Ecologic Institute). Technical and policy expert panel for their advice and valuable comments: Antonia Andugar and Tania Runge (COPA-COGECA) Ariel Brunner (Birdlife Europe) Bernhard Osterburg (Thünen Institute) Claire McCamphill (European Commission, DG Environment) Clément Jaubertie (Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable development and Energy, France) David Zetland (University of Wageningen) Faycal Bouraoui (JRC) Gábor Kolossváry (Ministry of Rural Development, Hungary) Henk Westhoek and Koen Overmars (PBL Netherlands) Catalina Radu (National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, Romania) Lars O. Hansen and Thomas F. Mortensen (Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Denmark) Nigel Boatman (Food and Environment Research Agency, Defra, UK) Peter Kristensen (EEA) Renée L'Herr and Krzysztof Sulima (European Commission, DG Agriculture) Ville Keskisarja (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland) Institute for European Environmental Policy Quai au Foin/Hooikaai 55 B- 1000 Brussels Tel: +32 (0) 2738 7482 BIO Intelligence Service S.A.S 20-22 Villa Deshayes 75014 PARIS Tel : +33 (0) 1 53 90 11 80 Ecologic Institute Pfalzburger Strasse 43/44 10717 Berlin Tel. +49 (30) 86880-0 The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) is an independent not-for-profit institute. IEEP undertakes work for external sponsors in a range of policy areas. We also have our own research programmes and produce the Manual of European Environmental Policy (http://www.europeanenvironmentalpolicy.eu). For further information about IEEP, see our website at http://www.ieep.eu or contact any staff member. iv Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF BOXES .................................................................................................................................. VI LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................VII LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................. VIII ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................................................... IX EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................X OPTIONS BRIEF............................................................................................................................. XVII A. Options for sustainable water use and improved water efficiency ........................xviii B. Options for land management with water and soil benefits ..................................... xix C. Options for improved water and soil management through the CAP measures... xix 1 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ....................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives, themes and scope............................................................................................ 1 1.2 Structure of the report ........................................................................................................ 3 2 SETTING THE SCENE: KEY WATER CHALLENGES IN THE EU .................................... 4 2.1 Policy context....................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Water use in the EU ............................................................................................................ 5 2.3 Water challenges in EU agriculture.................................................................................. 5 3 SUSTAINABLE WATER USE AND IMPROVED WATER EFFICIENCY........................... 9 3.1 Overview of EU scientific research on sustainable water use and water efficiency . 9 3.2 Innovative technologies and options for improving EU water management.......... 11 3.3 Good policy practices on water management in the EU ............................................. 21 3.4 Water pricing: EU policy instruments and their implementation ............................. 29 3.5 Recommended options..................................................................................................... 37 4 AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES FOR SOILS ............................................................................. 42 4.1 Management actions for improved water availability ................................................ 42 4.2 Management actions for improved functions of soils ................................................. 43 4.3 Need for public support................................................................................................... 52 4.4 Recommended options..................................................................................................... 53 5 CAP MEASURES FOR IMPROVED WATER AND SOIL MANAGEMENT.................... 58 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 58 5.2 CAP Pillar 2 measures...................................................................................................... 60 5.3 CAP Pillar 1 measures.....................................................................................................