Controlling Mineral Emissions in European Agriculture: Economics, Policies and the Environment

Mineral emissions from agriculture include nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metals, derived particularly from fertilizer use and farm animal wastes in intensive agricultural systems. These have the potential to cause pollution and affect the quality of water, soils and agricultural produce. Interest in this subject has increased substantially in recent years, resulting in reforms of part of the Common Agricultural Policy as well as the development of special directives in the European Union. This book presents analyses of the economics and policy options related to nonpoint-source pollution in European agriculture. It brings together several disciplines and has been developed from a workshop held in Norway in January 1996. This workshop was one of four, each focusing on a key theme as part of the EU Concerted Action, “Policy measures to control environmental impacts from agriculture”. The book includes both theoretical analyses and empirical studies from several countries. It represents an important volume for research academics and professionals in soil science, environmental and pollution studies, and agricultural and environmental economics and policy.