Managing the biodiversity impacts of fertiliser and pesticide use

This paper reviews the impacts and costs of pesticide and fertiliser pollution as well as the policy responses to counter these in selected OECD countries. More specifically, the paper begins with an overview of the main biodiversity and health impacts of excess pesticide and fertiliser. In economic terms, nitrogen pollution, for example, has been estimated to cost the European Union between EUR 70 billion and EUR 320 billion per year. The paper also provides an overview of the trends in both pesticide sales (per 1000 ha of agricultural land area), and pesticide use (in tonnes of active ingredients), as well as soil nutrient balances in OECD countries before reviewing policy instruments available to promote more sustainable fertiliser and pesticide use. Case studies of specific policy responses used to address adverse impacts of pesticides including in Denmark and France are presented along with case studies of policies to counter nutrient pollution in Denmark, Japan and the United States. Based on the literature review and case studies, the paper concludes with policy insights and recommendations.