Universität zu Köln

Heyl, Katharine, Ekardt, Felix, Sund, Lennard and Roos, Paula (2022). Potentials and Limitations of Subsidies in Sustainability Governance: The Example of Agriculture. Sustainability, 14 (23). BASEL: MDPI. ISSN 2071-1050

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Abstract

The goals of the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity call for a global transition to sustainability. To achieve these goals, subsidies can be implemented. Subsidies are pervasive especially (but not only) in the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector plays an important role in the transition to sustainability as agriculture can both benefit and harm climate and biodiversity. Some agricultural subsidies seem environmentally beneficial, but the majority appear environmentally destructive. Against this background, this article applies a qualitative governance analysis-including aspects of legal analysis-to provide a comprehensive review of agricultural subsidies in the EU and to discuss the role of subsidies in transitioning towards sustainability. Results show that agricultural subsidies need to be substantially downscaled and implemented as complementary instruments only because other policy instruments such as quantity control instruments are more effective in addressing the drivers of non-sustainability, i.e., fossil fuels and livestock farming. However, subsidies remain a useful complementary instrument to remunerate the provision of public goods (e.g., in nature conservation) as long as they are constructed in a way that they do not suffer from typical governance problems. In addition, data and transparency need to be improved, subsidies for research and development increased, and environmental objectives streamlined through EU law to ensure all agricultural subsidies are in line with global environmental goals.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Heyl, Katharine UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Ekardt, Felix UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Sund, Lennard UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Roos, Paula UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-669650
DOI:	10.3390/su142315859
Journal or Publication Title:	Sustainability
Volume:	14
Number:	23
Date:	2022
Publisher:	MDPI
Place of Publication:	BASEL
ISSN:	2071-1050
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT; AGRI-ENVIRONMENT SCHEMES; CARBON EMISSIONS; FUEL SUBSIDIES; INNOVATION; BENEFITS; ADOPTION; BIODIVERSITY; PAYMENTS; BARRIERS Multiple languages Green & Sustainable Science & Technology; Environmental Sciences; Environmental Studies Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/66965