Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00267-026-02605-y |
Licence  |
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| Title (Primary) | From pesticide pollution to healthy soils: policy assessment and reform options in Germany |
| Author | Heyl, K.; Stubenrauch, J.; Klickermann, F. |
| Source Titel | Environmental Management |
| Year | 2026 |
| Department | UPR |
| Volume | 76 |
| Issue | 344 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T5 Future Landscapes T7 Bioeconomy |
| Keywords | Pesticide policy; soil policy; EU policy; soil protection; soil pollution; soil health |
| Abstract | Soil pollution in the EU and Germany is a pressing environmental issue. Multiple stressors contribute to soil pollution, including the use of plant protection products (here: pesticides). Policy goals, however, demand that the EU and Germany protect biodiversity and soils. Against this background, the present article adopts a qualitative governance analysis to investigate the extent to which German pesticide policies contribute to reduced pesticide pollution risks as well as biodiversity and soil health goals. Results indicate that (1) pesticide use requirements have a very limited steering effect on reducing pesticide pollution risks because they lack precision and enforceability, (2) pesticide spatial measures suffer from enforcement and control issues, an extensive exception regime and poorly implemented restrictions. (3) Overarching soil and nature conservation policies are largely ineffective as pesticide policies (lex specialis) override overarching policies. Still, certain policy elements such as training and certification, as well as the expansion of water protection areas contribute to some extent to reduced pesticide pollution risks, biodiversity and soil health. These results indicate that effective soil protection not only requires incremental changes in existing policies but comprehensive amendments to the agricultural sector including the adoption of economic instruments and measures from the global to the local level. |
| Heyl, K., Stubenrauch, J., Klickermann, F. (2026): From pesticide pollution to healthy soils: policy assessment and reform options in Germany Environ. Manage. 76 (344) 10.1007/s00267-026-02605-y |
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