Land and biodiversity policies/Land-use regulation: Difference between revisions

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{{ZZ_PolicyResponsePartTemplate
{{PolicyResponsePartTemplate
|PageLabel=Targeting agricultural demand
|PageLabel=Land-use regulation
|Sequence=3
|Sequence=5
|Description=<h2>Interventions targeting the agricultural production system</h2>
|Reference=UNEP-WCMC, 2008; Overmars et al., 2012;
The production system describes the way animals are raised and crops are cultivated; for example, which and how much input is used to produce one unit of product, and the amount of wood harvested per square kilometre of forest. Those characteristics then define the environmental impacts. Several interventions may increase the efficiency of production systems, and should thus lead to a lower use of input or to a reduction in environmental impacts.
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{{DisplayFigureLeftOptimalTemplate|Flowchart LBP II}}<br clear="all"/>
<h2>Land-use regulation</h2>
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Demand and production technology determine the overall demand for agricultural and forestry land. However, land-use patterns and agricultural areas may also be influenced by regulating the land area available for specific purposes. Land allocation can be restricted in several ways.
{{ZZ PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
|Header=Improving livestock systems
|Description=Interventions that improve livestock systems include the use of other breeds that have higher feed conversion rates, which may require another ratio of feed composites, or produce less manure. Changes in the feed conversion or composition of feed, for example, the ratio between grazing and feed crop feeding, influence the demand for grazing areas and crop areas, and therefore changing these systems will result in other environmental impacts and other patterns of agricultural land use. The amounts and quality of manure affect nitrogen emission levels and thus also both nutrient balances and climate-change impacts. In addition, biodiversity will be affected via nitrogen emissions. As a positive side effect, different production systems can have positive impacts on animal welfare, too. However, in most cases, higher animal welfare standards involve more input per unit of production ([[PBL, 2011]]). The way manure is stored and applied to the land also differs across livestock systems, and influences crop yields and emission levels. A secondary impact of increasing feed efficiencies could be that of cost reductions, leading to a similar feedback effect as described for changes in demand.


For the purpose of this section, we distinguish two interventions within the cropping system:  ‘improved cropping systems or varieties’ and ‘crop and grass yields, cropping intensity’. Those two interventions are closely linked. Management in agriculture is a subtle interplay between the cultivar chosen, soil management, fertilizer and other input, and the timing and choice for each cultivation step. Here, the first interventions particularly focus on the reduction in – often negative – external effects other than the use of land. The second intervention targets concern the use of as few hectares as possible (address the amount of product per hectare).
{{DisplayFigureLeftOptimalTemplate|Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (D)}}
|PISet=Animal waste storage; Crop and livestock production systems; Excretion; Extensification; Feed conversion (policy intervention); Feed ration; Grazing intensity; Integrated manure management; Intensification; Productivity;
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{{PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
{{ZZ PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
|Header=Land-use planning
|Header=Improving cropping systems or varieties
|Description={{DisplayFigureTemplate|Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (B)}}{{DisplayFigureTemplate|Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (A)}}
|Description=Improved cropping systems or varieties could increase the efficiency of the use of inputs, including water and nutrients. Combined with an application of those inputs that are well tuned to the requirements of the crops, this would lead to fewer nitrogen emissions or less water use per tonne of crop and, ultimately, would reduce the impacts on biodiversity and climate. Such improved management could also lead to higher yields (see below). Improved systems could imply a shift in the ratio between the factors used, such as labour, capital, land, fertilizer, water and other inputs. Therefore, the cost price of agricultural products may change, resulting in other market prices and a changed consumption.
Land-use planning directly affects the land-use pattern, which determines the impact on climate and biodiversity and could enhance the use of ecosystem functions. Measures, such as zoning plans and land registration, designate land areas to certain uses, including protected areas and natural corridors between designated agricultural land areas. The purpose of such natural corridors is to limit the impact on biodiversity of large agricultural areas and to connect individual spots rich in biodiversity. Restricting the land area for agriculture could affect land prices and prices of agricultural commodities thus reduce the relative costs of production factors, such as labour and capital, and other inputs. Such interventions may result in changes to the production system (Figure B) and the demand system (Figure A), and in impacts on biodiversity and climate.
|PISet=Crop and livestock production systems;  
|PISet=Implementation of land use planning;
}}
}}
{{ZZ PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
{{PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
|Header=Crop and grass yields
|Header=REDD+ schemes or payments for ecosystem services
|Description=Yield increase can be induced by other crop varieties; for example, by increasing the potential yield or better management (thus, closing the yield gap). One should keep in mind that other – more suitable – crop varieties often also need other types of management in order to give higher yields.
|Description={{DisplayFigureTemplate|Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (B)}}
|PISet=Crop and livestock production systems; Improved irrigation efficiency; Improved rainwater management; Increasing storage capacity; Integrated manure management;  
Some land uses that also provide ecosystem services could generate additional returns via REDD+ schemes or payments for ecosystem services. Such payments would place a value on ecosystem services that do not have a market value at present and would then compete with other economic activities for the same land area. This intervention would restrict the land available for agriculture or forestry, which would affect land prices and reduce consumption. This could induce adaptations in the production system (Figure B), and consequently alter the impacts on biodiversity and climate at that level. The outcome of introducing payments for ecosystem services are currently most uncertain, as such schemes have not been applied frequently as yet.
|PISet=Avoiding deforestation; REDD policies;
}}
}}
{{ZZ PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
{{PolicyInterventionSetTemplate
|Header=Cropping intensity
|Header=Expansion of bioreserves
|Description=Cropping intensity can be increased by multiple cropping (more harvests per year), which depends on climatic circumstances, or by decreasing the area that is left fallow. Both interventions would decrease the required production area for all crops, but it could also, locally, increase the environmental impacts per hectare of crops. Where lower area requirements decrease biodiversity and climate impacts, the environmental impacts per hectare could increase them again. Thus, to decrease biodiversity loss, yield increases should go hand in hand with system changes, which may result in fewer negative external impacts, as described for the intervention above. Increased cropping intensity increases the risk of soil degradation if cropping rotations or soil management are not adapted, as well.
|Description=Expansion of bio-reserves should increase biodiversity values, provided sites are well selected. The climate impact of these protection areas depends on the carbon content of the standing biomass. Most hot spots for biodiversity protection also have high carbon content ([[UNEP-WCMC, 2008]]). Furthermore, the impact of this intervention on agricultural production depends on the productivity level in these areas. Restricting the land area available for agriculture could affect land prices. Consequently, the same impacts as described under land-use planning could be expected. Expansion of bio-reserves has been analysed by PBL ([[PBL, 2010]]; [[PBL, 2012]]), and an evaluation of costs and CO<sub>2</sub> emission reductions via {{abbrTemplate|REDD+}} schemes has been made by Overmars et al. ([[Overmars et al., 2012| 2012]]).
|PISet=Crop and livestock production systems;
|PISet=Enlarge protected areas;
}}
}}
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Latest revision as of 10:51, 20 November 2018

link to framework components overview

Parts of Land and biodiversity policies/Land-use regulation

  1. Introduction page
  2. Agricultural demand
  3. Agricultural production system
  4. Forestry sector
  5. Land-use regulation
  6. Policy issues
  7. Data, uncertainties and limitations
  8. Overview of references
Relevant overviews
References

Land-use regulation

Demand and production technology determine the overall demand for agricultural and forestry land. However, land-use patterns and agricultural areas may also be influenced by regulating the land area available for specific purposes. Land allocation can be restricted in several ways.


Policy interventions in land-use regulation
Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (D). Policy interventions that regulate land use and land supply.


Land-use planning

Policy interventions in the crop and livestock production systems
Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (B). Policy interventions in crop and livestock production systems.
Policy interventions in agricultural demand
Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (A). Policy interventions in the agricultural demand system.

Land-use planning directly affects the land-use pattern, which determines the impact on climate and biodiversity and could enhance the use of ecosystem functions. Measures, such as zoning plans and land registration, designate land areas to certain uses, including protected areas and natural corridors between designated agricultural land areas. The purpose of such natural corridors is to limit the impact on biodiversity of large agricultural areas and to connect individual spots rich in biodiversity. Restricting the land area for agriculture could affect land prices and prices of agricultural commodities thus reduce the relative costs of production factors, such as labour and capital, and other inputs. Such interventions may result in changes to the production system (Figure B) and the demand system (Figure A), and in impacts on biodiversity and climate.

Table: Policy interventions Land-use planning
Policy interventionDescriptionImplemented in/affected component
Implementation of land use planning Application of zoning laws or cadastres, assigning areas to certain land uses.

(*) Implementing component.


REDD+ schemes or payments for ecosystem services

Policy interventions in the crop and livestock production systems
Flowchart Land and biodiversity policies (B). Policy interventions in crop and livestock production systems.

Some land uses that also provide ecosystem services could generate additional returns via REDD+ schemes or payments for ecosystem services. Such payments would place a value on ecosystem services that do not have a market value at present and would then compete with other economic activities for the same land area. This intervention would restrict the land available for agriculture or forestry, which would affect land prices and reduce consumption. This could induce adaptations in the production system (Figure B), and consequently alter the impacts on biodiversity and climate at that level. The outcome of introducing payments for ecosystem services are currently most uncertain, as such schemes have not been applied frequently as yet.

Table: Policy interventions REDD+ schemes or payments for ecosystem services
Policy interventionDescriptionImplemented in/affected component
Avoiding deforestation Here comes description
REDD policies The objective of REDD policies it to reduce land-use related emissions by protecting existing forests in the world; The implementation of REDD includes also costs of policies.

(*) Implementing component.


Expansion of bioreserves

Expansion of bio-reserves should increase biodiversity values, provided sites are well selected. The climate impact of these protection areas depends on the carbon content of the standing biomass. Most hot spots for biodiversity protection also have high carbon content (UNEP-WCMC, 2008). Furthermore, the impact of this intervention on agricultural production depends on the productivity level in these areas. Restricting the land area available for agriculture could affect land prices. Consequently, the same impacts as described under land-use planning could be expected. Expansion of bio-reserves has been analysed by PBL (PBL, 2010; PBL, 2012), and an evaluation of costs and CO2 emission reductions via REDD+ schemes has been made by Overmars et al. ( 2012).

Table: Policy interventions Expansion of bioreserves
Policy interventionDescriptionImplemented in/affected component
Enlarge protected areas Increase in areas with protected status, as well the size of the areas as the numer of parks.

(*) Implementing component.


  1. Introduction page
  2. Agricultural demand
  3. Agricultural production system
  4. Forestry sector
  5. Land-use regulation
  6. Policy issues
  7. Data, uncertainties and limitations
  8. Overview of references
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