The prospects of innovative agri-environmental contracts in the European policy context: Results from a Delphi study

• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106706
• Publication Date: 2023-05-12T03:46:37Z
• Authors: Eszter Kelemen; Boldizsár Megyesi; Bettina Matzdorf; Erling Andersen; Lenny G.J. van Bu...; Myriam Dumortier; Céline Dutilly; Marina García-Llo...; Christine Hamon; Annabelle LePage; Roberta Moruzzo; Katrin Prager; Francesco Riccioli; Carolina Yacamán-...
• Keywords: Delphi Method; Pillar; Common Agricultural Policy; Delphi

Innovative agri-environmental contracts are increasingly studied in the literature, but their adoption has been relatively slow and geographically scattered. Action-based measures remain predominant policy mechanism across Europe. A three-round Policy Delphi study was conducted with makers, scientific experts, farmers' representatives, NGOs from 15 different European countries, to investigate how under which circumstances novel contractual solutions could be implemented more widely. The expert panel perceived result-based collective elements as most promising. Although considered beneficial several aspects, value chain were less relevant environment. Common Agricultural (CAP) Pillar 2 highlighted by experts key area implement national or regional authorities, 1 eco-schemes, being launched CAP 2023–2027, also a potentially suitable framework for testing implementation. envisaged innovative should adopted governments iterative steps not complete substitute current payment schemes, rather an additional incentive them. Such incremental approach allows innovations capitalise on existing best practices. But it implies risk that marginal fail substantially change behaviour, resulting failure improve environmental conditions.