Integrated policy for desertification in Europe
Agricultural policy under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has emerged as a key driver for land use change, especially encouraging intensification. This has potentially disastrous repercussions for sustainable management of areas already severely affected by desertification. In addition to the obvious environmental effects of desertification, there are significant implications for community survival as the spiral of decline can trigger further depopulation. Four target areas, one in each of the countries Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece, were the object of the study under the MEDACTION 4 project. The programme combined integrated, multidisciplinary research, involving the principal stakeholders and concentrating on finding solutions to the problems of desertification. The project addressed land management concerns, scenario-generation and policy formulation at local and Mediterranean scales. At EU level, the results strengthen the argument for a holistic and integrated desertification policy package that directly addresses desertification problems in Southern Europe through applied policy solutions. Positive trends were apparent, especially where conservation has been operating in conjunction with strengthened actor networks - that is, where local stakeholders can actively shape policy formulation and implementation. Local stakeholders will be able to use the results to lobby national and regional decision makers to target desertification-related issues. Furthermore, future financial packages provided will not be aimed at further agricultural intensification but will support sustainable management of areas affected by desertification. This is the first project that highlights both as a driver and mitigator of desertification in Southern Europe. The analysis goes beyond traditional instrumental interpretations of policy as a solution and highlights that the policy environment is both the reason and solution for desertification in Southern Europe.
