Governance of Water-Related Conflicts in Agriculture: New Directions in Agri-Environmental and Water Policies in the EU

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The command-and-control approach has achieved only limited success in controlling diffuse pollution from agriculture. New governance approaches are emerging, which involve voluntary co-operation between the main actors, water suppliers, farmers and public authorities, responsible for the sustainable management of drinking water supplies. This text contributes to a better understanding of the role such co-operation can play in complying cost-effectively with European environmental legislation, in particularly the EU Nitrates and Water Framework Directives, and in achieving a sustainable agriculture. The feasibility of meeting environmental standards by the application of voluntary agreements between farmers and water suppliers is analysed as a more economically efficient and environmentally effective means compared to applying alternative instruments like command-and-control and taxes. In addition, the potential of voluntary co-operative agreements for achieving a more flexible European Union water policy as well as for reforming the Common Agricultural Policy is assessed. The book should be of interest to those researching and working in achieving a more sustainable water management and agricultural practices.