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Ingo Heinz University of Dortmund, Germany

Why can voluntary agreements between water companies, farmers and authorities help to implement the European WFD and CAP reforms?. Ingo Heinz University of Dortmund, Germany. Man and River System II – Interaction among Rivers, their Watershed and the Sociosystem

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Ingo Heinz University of Dortmund, Germany

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  1. Why can voluntary agreements between water companies, farmers and authorities help to implement the European WFD and CAP reforms? Ingo Heinz University of Dortmund, Germany Man and River System II – Interaction among Rivers, their Watershed and the Sociosystem http://www.sisyphe.upmc.fr/mr2/ 4-6 December 2006, Paris

  2. How to tackle water problems? Mandatory regulations (e.g. statutory rules) Charges on water use (e.g. on pesticides) Voluntary agreements and negotiations (e.g. between farmers and water companies) Subsidies (e.g. agri-environmental program)

  3. Water and agriculture Water problems: Diffuse pollution (e.g. nitrate) Water shortage (e.g. Spain) Conflicts with other water users

  4. Difficulties to tackle diffuse pollution Who caused which pollution? Monitoring often extremely costly Polluter pays principle does not work Enforcement of statutory rulesdifficult

  5. Diffuse pollution

  6. Voluntary agreements and negotiations: Advantages … Prevent increase of pollution Under-run statutory limit values (e.g. 50 mg nitrate) Agreements often more stringent than statutory rules Authorities support the implementation of agreements Monitoring easy, e.g. Nmin soil analysis; plot-card index Expertise of farmers and water companies used High motivation of farmers to collaborate

  7. Stevertalsperre Remedial case: Pesticides > 0.1µ/L

  8. Holsterhausen Preventative case: Nitrate: < 7 mg/L

  9. EU Water Framework Directive WFD Key requirements: Set up river basin management plans 2009 Achieve cost recovery + incentive water pricing 2010 Establish cost-effective programs of measures 2012 Achieve good status of water bodies 2015 Justify derogations from good status of water bodies

  10. WFD+ Voluntary agreements Voluntary agreements… • prevent increasing pollution and reverse rising trends contribute to cost-effective programs of measures • comparecosts with societal benefits and avoid disproportionate costs • incorporate stakeholders with different preferences • can be applied in watersheds where no water companies • operate

  11. EU Common Agricultural Policy CAP Key requirements: • Link direct payments to farmers to compliance with • environmental standards (e.g. water, food safety, • animal health) EU regulation 1782/2003 on “Cross Compliance” 2.Link financial supports to farmers from agri-environmental programs to meeting the rules of good agricultural practiceEU regulation 1698/2005 on “Support for Rural Development”

  12. Regulation 1782/2003: Cross compliance Requirements: Maintain farmland in good status 2005 Maintain long-term grassland 2005 Comply with 19 existing EU Regulations 1. Nitrate, sludge, groundwater, FHH 2005 2. Pesticides, food, animal health 2006 3. Animal protection, etc. 2007

  13. CAP reforms+ Voluntary agreements Voluntary agreements … • help farmers in complying with water-related and other • environmental standards (e.g. reduction of soil erosion) • help farmers in meeting the rules of good agricultural • practice (e.g. EU Nitrates Directive; national regulations • concerning use of pesticides and fertilisers) • ensure moderate financial burdens to farmers due to • cost-effective agreements and financial supports provided • by water companies

  14. WFD + CAP reforms+ Voluntary agreements Voluntary agreements … • Contribute to an area-wideapplication of a more • environmentally friendly agricultureEC No 1782/2003 • sustainable rural development EC No1698/2005 • Furtherinterest groupsparticipate, such as cities, nature conservationists, fisheries, hydro-power producers…. • Experiences on changes of farming practices can be transferred into areas where no agreements exist

  15. WFD + CAP reforms+ Voluntary agreements • Example of area-wide voluntary agreements: • “Gebietskooperationen” in Lower Saxony, Germany • Founded in 28 sub-river basins • For each a river basin management plan will be established • According to an Ordinance of the Ministry of Environment of Lower Saxony issued on 25 March 2005 • www.nlwkn.de (Wasserwirtschaft)

  16. Water use • Water quality Good status of water bodies Voluntary agreements WFD requirements CAP reform Site-specific and cost-effective changes of farming practices

  17. Topics for future research Update studies on voluntary agreements in the EU Investigate voluntary agreements in the new EU Member States Analyse the contributions of voluntary agreements to meet the WFD requirements in the EU 4. Analyse the contributions of voluntary agreements to implement the CAP reforms in the EU

  18. Topics for future research • Assess voluntary agreements for water scarcity problems • Explore the advantages of area-wide agreements in the EU (“Gebietskooperationen” in sub-river basins)

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