Baltic Compass Work Package 6, “Governance and policy adaptation” has chosen several case studies in order to understand how agri-environmental measures, investments and assessment procedures, meet the multi-functional demands manifested at both national and transnational governance environments.
The cases will provide detailed lessons from national planning and policy making processes in the Baltic Sea region. Together with the country reporting processes on the “implementability of Agri-Environmental Actions” the cases will also serve as the main source of evidence and platform for stakeholder consultation.
In so doing this analysis should lead to the development of knowledge and lessons that can support the adaptation and innovation of agri-environmental governance.
1. The pig industry in the Nemunas River Basin – a study on transboundary measures, institutional capacity, bio security and local development
Pig farming is a growing industry in the Baltic Sea Region. The expansion has been debated in terms of its contribution to development, its international dimension and the environmental impact associated with different types of management practices.
This project tries to create an insight into the transboundary implications of the expansion of pig farms focusing on the Nemunas River Basin. The case will generate recommendations on how to identify transnational legislation/policy/agreements required addressing transboundary agri-environmental problems within the prevailing context of respective EU and non-EU regimes, not captured by current EU legislation.
2. Promoting ‘win-win’ measures Case
Riparian countries in the Baltic Sea Region are all searching for innovative agri-environmental measures which generate win-win solutions across sectors and interest groups and enable a more effective implementation of agreed targets.
In the national reviews under WP6, implementing actors have identified a number of challenges to facilitating this transformation to ‘win-win’ measures. This case will evaluate the ability of the policy adaptation processes to foster measures, which serve as win-win instruments, i.e. are a) adaptive, b) deliver multiple benefits, and c) promote regional cohesion. Examples of measures examined are: multifunctional wetlands, biogas, flood protection measures, controlled drainage etc.
Specific issues where win-win measures will be evaluated are: Use of catch crops and manure for biogas and Multi-functional wetlands.
3. River Basin Management Plan Case
River Basin Management Plan focus on the protection, improvement and sustainable use of the water environment. The Water Framework Directive sets out the requirement for the member states to develop RBMPs for planning and implementing measures to improve the water quality.
The objective of the case is to describe the role and priorities of RBMPs in limiting agricultural pollution, with special reference to diffuse pollution. For that, the planned measures, associated to limit pollution from agriculture in the River Basins Management Plans, will be analyzed. Study analyses the measures and the respective budgets in Programme of Measures. In addition, 5 pilot areas have been selected for detailed analysis and farmers’ survey in Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden.
4. Flood Control and Nutrient Leaching in the Bug Basin: Governance Adaptation for Multi-Functional Flood Control Measures
The Bug Basin has three riparian countries: Ukraine, Belarus and Poland, and a total area of 39 000 km². By 2013 member states are required to draw flood risk maps and by 2015 to have developed flood management plans. It is suggested that only limited flood control measures have been implemented within the Bug Basin, and they are old and in the need of modernization and reconstruction.
This case will further analyze the governance adaptation and flood control measures that is required to understand how both national and transnational governance shapes flood control within the Bug Basin. Baltic Compass is ideally suited to both draw on existing results from the pre –assessment of river basins, and to be involved in providing additional data and support to the steps of flood risk assessment and flood management planning.
5. Participatory development of agri-environmental measures: From a top-down to a bottom-up approach
Agri-environmental measures are common tools to improve the status of the environment. Today, the measures are designed and implemented in a top-down approach.
The objective of this case is to pose a new way of developing and implementing agri-environmental measures and thus to increase acceptance by the farmers. The first step is the development of new win-win measures, which bring advantages for the environment as well as for the farmer. By using the knowledge of the farmers within the pilot region of Schleswig-Holstein several measures have been developed. This participating design of measures leads to self-responsibility and win-win solutions instead of compensation and control mentality. To implement concrete measures the installation of algae ponds and controlled drainage systems are planned (see also 2. “promoting win-win measures”)
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