Agriculture & Land Management

Our Work

A solid evidence base on the impacts of different policy measures on the environment is essential to underpin arguments for further integration of environmental concerns into agricultural and other land management policies. To contribute to the development of this evidence base, IEEP is experienced in carrying out technical evaluations of a range of policy measures.

We have undertaken evaluations (both ex ante and ex post) of the environmental impacts of a range of policy measures under both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of the CAP for DG Agriculture and Rural Development, DG Climate Action and DG Environment.  These include evaluations of cross-compliance, support for the livestock sector, less favoured areas support, differing levels of modulation, as well as the new CAP greening measures. We have also led assessments for national public bodies and NGOs.

Latest in Policy Evaluation

  • Are Ecological Focus Areas delivering for biodiversity?

    Ecological Focus Areas are intended to safeguard and improve biodiversity on arable farms in the EU. What evidence is there that they are actually delivering biodiversity on farmland?

  • Ecological Focus Areas – what are their impacts on biodiversity?

    Ecological Focus Areas are intended to safeguard and improve biodiversity on arable farms in the EU. This IEEP study for EEB and BirdLife examined the evidence for potential biodiversity impacts on farmland, taking into account how the areas are being managed.

  • CAP greening: what are its environmental prospects?

    A significant injection of money was agreed for ‘green’ farming practices under the recent CAP reform. This report examines the environmental impact these measures are likely to have on the ground and concludes that Member States’ implementation choices appear to have much diminished the chances of the greening measures delivering significant additional environmental benefits.

  • High Nature Value farming throughout EU-27 and its financial support under the CAP

    This study reviews Member States’ estimates of the extent of HNV farmland and use of RDP measures and the CMEF indicators, then identifies future priorities for CAP support for HNV farming and discusses the support opportunities under the reformed CAP. It offers detailed new evidence about the combined effect of Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 CAP payments on the economic and environmental viability of a typical HNV farming system in three Member States.

  • New report: High Nature Value Farming in the EU

    Member States need to make the most of the opportunities under the new Common Agricultural Policy if the declines in HNV farming, critical for meeting our 2020 biodiversity targets, are to be halted.

  • A greener CAP: still within reach?

    The greening of the CAP hangs in the balance in the final negotiations; a synthesis of key issues and requirements.

  • Delivering environmental benefits through entry-level agri-environment schemes in the EU

    A new study of the 2007-13 agri-environment schemes across the whole of EU-27 provides the first typology of ‘entry-level’ agri-environment management and environmental objectives, plus a detailed insight into the design of entry-level agri-environment schemes and calculation of payment rates in seven Member States.

  • Evaluation of Cross Compliance in the EU 25

    IEEP's two-part evaluation of Member State approaches to cross compliance implementation in the EU 25 is now available.Under Regulation 1782/2003 Cross Compliance was introduced as a compulsory measure ...