Overview of EU policies and strategies related to LEDD

Policy context

Overview of EU policies and strategies related to LEDD

Authors:	Ruta Landgrebe, Sandra Naumann
Editor:	Alexandros Kandalepas

Editor's note 23Apr13. Tables taken from D141, D241, D341 and D711

This section provides an overview of the EU policies, strategies and initiatives directly or indirectly pertinent to land degradation and desertification These include all existing environmental policies as well as relevant sectoral polices and various strategies and initiatives at the EU level. The selection is based on policy or strategy influence on ecosystem services, taking into consideration the global as well as national pressures according to different land use themes explored in the LEDDRA project; namely cropland, grazing land, forests & shrubland. The relevant policies and strategies are listed in the table below.

Table. EU policies, strategies and initiatives relevant to LEDD issues

EU policies, strategies and initiatives (in different sectors)
Overall strategies and agreements	European Landscape Convention Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS) Sustainable development Strategy (European Council DOC 10917/06)
Agriculture and Rural Development	Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - Cross Compliance: GAEC, SMR (1782/2003/EEC; 73/2009/EC), Decoupled direct payments, Article 68 of Council Regulation 73/2009 (1st pillar) - Rural development (2nd pillar), i.e. Agri-environmental schemes, less favoured areas, afforestation measures, farm modernization and training and advice
Nature protection	Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) Wild Birds Directive (79/409/EEC)
Forestry	Forestry Strategy Forest Action plan Green Paper on Forests
Bioenergy	Renewable Energy Directive
Water	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) Groundwater Directive (80/86/EEC) Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) Flood risk management (2007/60/EC) Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts in the European Union (COM(2007)414)
Climate	White Paper on adapting to climate change
Soil	Soil Thematic Strategy (COM(2006)231)
Regional development	Cohesion policy (Cohesion Funds and Structural funds)
Spatial planning	Study Programme on European Spatial Planning (SPESP) European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) ESPON 2013 Programme Territorial Agenda of the EU 2020 EC 2006 Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment
Impact assessment	Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (97/11/EC) Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive
Further policies
Tourism	Communication “Europe, the world's No 1 tourist destination a new political framework for tourism in Europe, 2010 Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism
Transport	TEN-T EU White paper on transport Impact Assessment

Table EU policies strategies, initiatives and programmes and their relevant measures, targets and plans according to land use theme

Next >

	Cropland	Grazing land	Forests & shrubland
CAP	Rural Development Programmes, Axis 2: in particular organic farming and conservation agriculture GAEC Standards Potential for improved effects on LEDD of agri-environmental measures allowing reversion/conversion of agriculture land to more natural ecosystems/other land uses Potential of including WFD provisions in the cross-compliance to protect soil and land resources Flawed instruments and budget allocations need to be addressed Includes policy incentives for soil-degrading farming practices Abolition of set-aside land could reduce soil carbon stocks	Rural Development Programmes, Axis 2: in particular AEMs GAEC standards for the maintenance of permanent pastures GAEC standards should prevent ploughing of grassland and subsequent reseeding or intensification of grassland use Should differentiate between semi-natural permanent and more intensively managed permanent grasslands	Rural Development Programmes, Axis 2: in particular the measures supporting first afforestation of agricultural land, first establishment of agroforestry systems on agricultural land, forest environmental payments and non-productive investments May need more funding
Water Framework Directive	POMs relating to agriculture concerning e.g. basins GAEC Standards Farm Advisory Systems Potential of riparian vegetation management to prevent soil erosion Potential for increasing the uptake of measures relating to soil quality Potential to include stronger focus on southern countries Potential to address overexploitation of water by agricultural sector	POMs relating to agriculture e.g. conversion of arable land to permanent pastures GAEC Standards Should have stricter, more targeted approach to retention of permanent pasture	Potential to include forest/shrubland management practices in the River Basin Management Plans Needs to better address conflicting aims of water management and forestry, e.g. timber production v. buffer zones
Groundwater Directive	Measures relating to groundwater quality Does not address water quantity	Measures related to groundwater quality Does not address water quantity	POM measure on buffer strips along slopes or infiltration basins
Nitrates Directive	Establishment of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones	Requirements for livestock manure storage capacity Limit on productions of nitrate from farm/livestock units
Flood Risk Management Directive	POM measure on buffer strips Best Practices e.g. management of sediments at source	Measures relating to erosion Best practices e.g. reduction of ploughing/conversion of permanent pasture in flood risk areas	POM measure on restoring vegetation to develop manageable flood polders
Wild Birds Directive	Mandatory implementation of and requirements for SPAs and SACs e.g. relating to the exhaustion of fertile soils	Mandatory implementation of and requirements for SPAs and SACs e.g. relating to erosion	Mandatory implementation of and requirements for SPAs and SACs e.g. relating to afforestation, deforestation and connecting different habitat types
Habitats Directive	Mandatory implementation of and requirements for SPAs and SACs e.g. relating to the exhaustion of fertile soils	Mandatory implementation of and requirements for SPAs and SACs e.g. relating to erosion	Mandatory implementation of and requirements for SPAs and SACs e.g. relating to afforestation, deforestation and connecting different habitat types
Renewable energy directive	Binding sustainability requirements Potential of sustainable biofuels to benefit cropland soil quality Could lead to use of monocultures and reductions in crop rotations	Binding sustainability requirements Sustainability criteria should also apply to land use practices other than the extraction of biomass for biofuels	Binding sustainability requirements Potential benefit of sustainable biofuels Could lead to deforestation in countries lacking sufficient environmental legislation to satisfy demand for biomass
Horizontal Environmental Policy	Promotion of sustainable land management and land protection Potential to integrate soil considerations in early project planning stages Potential to maintain soil organic matter by integrating the LULUCF sector into the EU climate change commitment for 2020 Importance of LEDD for the SEA has to be better defined and communicated	Promotion of sustainable land management and land protection Potential to more integrally consider grazing land	Promotion of sustainable land management and land protection
Regional policy	Funding for regional development Measures concerning water management and erosion Needs greater focus on biodiversity and natural resources Some infrastructure projects are direct drivers of LEDD	Funding for regional development Measures concerning water management and erosion Needs greater focus on sustainable development of grazing land	Funding for regional development Measures concerning water management and erosion
Transport Policy	Potential for LEDD to be included in the EIA of transport policy Improved accessibility to remote regions may lead to LEDD	Potential for LEDD to be included in the EIA of transport policy	Potential for LEDD to be included in the EIA of transport policy
White Paper on Adaptation	Discussion of LEDD issues and recommendations e.g. regarding soil fertility, agricultural ecosystems, crop productivity	Discussion of LEDD issues and recommendations e.g. regarding erosion rates	Discussion of LEDD issues and recommendations e.g. regarding forest health
Soil Thematic Strategy	Promotion of integration of soil protection measures into other policy areas	Promotion of integration of soil protection measures into other policy areas	Promotion of integration of soil protection measures into other policy areas
European Landscape Convention	Potential for LEDD to be incorporated in the area of landscape managementPotential to address LEDD via increased support for agri-environmental measures and aesthetic requirements Significant institutional hurdles and resources limitations need to be addressed	Agri-environmental measures Aesthetic requirements	Potential to increase support of afforestation measures and aesthetic requirements Potential to increase awareness of the multifunctionality of forests
Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy	Goals concerning agricultural land management, organic farming and reduction of fertilizer and pesticide use	Goals concerning agricultural land management, organic farming and reduction of fertilizer and pesticide use	Goals to enhance indigenous tree species, leave select forest areas to develop naturally, limit fertilizer and pesticide use, align afforestation policies with nature conservation objectives
EU Sustainable Development Strategy	Goals for conservation and protection of natural resources Needs greater focus on soil and cropland	Goals for overall sustainability Needs greater focus on soil	Goals for overall sustainability Needs greater focus on soil
6th Environmental Action Programme	Strategy promoted on soil protection Actions promoted to improve cropland	Strategy promoted on soil protection Actions promoted to improve cropland	Strategy promoted on soil protection
EU Forestry Strategy & Forest Action Plan			Voluntary actions to prevent forest fragmentation, fires, floods, desertification and soil erosion
Spatial Planning	Measures for housing, water and energy Needs more direct and tailored actions to affect LEDD	Measures for housing, water and energy	Measures for housing, water and energy Needs more direct and tailored actions to affect LEDD
Tourism strategy	Promotion of sustainable tourism and environmental protection Potential to do EIA of tourism on different land types	Promotion of sustainable tourism and environmental protection	Promotion of sustainable tourism and environmental protection