Soil protection strategy: from an integrated vision to a practical implementation

Transcription

1 Soil protection strategy: from an integrated vision to a practical implementation E. GOIDTS Soil Protection Direction International eventon land protection in the Basque country Bilbao 22d & 23d of October 2012 Public Administration of Wallonia 1

2 Outline 1 Integrated vision 2 Soil protection strategy 3 Practical implementation 4 -Conclusions 2

3 Integrated vision 1 Integrated vision 3

4 Integrated vision AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY THREATENS Diffuse contamination of soil and water Salinization Acidification INDUSTRY AND WA ASTE MANAGEMENT Soil compaction Local contamination of soil and water PROTECTION OBJECTS Economical value Food security Ecosystem services Human health Risk perception Erosion Floodings/ landslides Biodiversity reduction Organic matter reduction Soil sealing After Ana Alzola Echazarra AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE: CLIMATE CHANGE 4 SPACE PLANNING AND URBANISM

5 Response Integrated vision AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY Drivers THREATENS INDUSTRY AND WA ASTE MANAGEMENT Soil compaction Local contamination of soil and water Diffuse contamination of soil and water Economical value Ecosystem services State PROTECTION OBJECTS Impact Risk perception Salinization Food security Human health Pressure Erosion Floodings/ landslides Biodiversity reduction Organic matter reduction Soil sealing After Ana Alzola Echazarra AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE: CLIMATE CHANGE 5 SPACE PLANNING AND URBANISM

6 Integrated vision Drivers Social & economical development DPSIR framework for environmental issues Eco-efficiency Emission factors Pressure Soil degradation processes: contamination (local & diffuse) biodiversity decline erosion organic matter decline compaction sealing salinisation acidification floods& landslides Indicators Soil protection strategy! Pathways& dispersion models State Degradated soils Levels& extent Effectiveness of responses Responses Impact Dose responses indicators& relationships Adaptation or curative action Riskassessment& cost-benefitsof action/in-action Human health, ecosystems and materials Soil functions: biomass production (food& non-food) nutrients, substances & water regulation biodiversity pool source of rawmaterial physical& cultural environmentfor human and human activities carbon pool 6

7 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy 2 Soil protection strategy 7

8 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Soil protection strategy : objective, pillars & tools Objective: to protect the soil while using it sustainably, through the prevention of further degradation, the preservation of soil function and the restoration of degraded soils AtEU level: «Strategy» with4 pillars 0. political decision with associated means (administrative/operational/financial) 1. Legal framework => incentives& constraints 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies => coherence& simplification 3. Knowledge improvement through research => Assessments 4. Awareness raising => Prevention& stakeholders involvement 8

9 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Soil protection strategy : objective, pillars & tools Tools : 1. Legal framework Data exchange / traceability Fit for use principle 1) Information duty (from authorities to public/actors and vice versa) 2) Threshold values to allow for prevention (start) and restoration (targets) 3) Precautionary & risk-based principle (combination of science & politics) 4) Trigger mechanisms for obligations Certification / quality systems Financial means (private/ public) 5) Investigations by competent experts and laboratories 6) «Pollutor pays principle» associated with a liability chain 7) Room for voluntary actions and cooperation agreements 8) Environmental management plan and dedicated funds 9

10 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Soil protection strategy : objective, pillars & tools Tools : 1. Legal framework 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies Industrial Emission Directive o Waste Directive o Sludge Directive Landfill & Mining Directive Environmental liability Directive o Environmental Impact Assessment Directive Water Directives o Common Agricultural Policy Nitrate Directive Renewable energy Directive Cohesion policy Strategy for nature & biodiversity Europe 2020 strategy (resource efficiency, climate/energy) European Innovation Partnership on Agriculture Productivity Sustainability Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water + landplanning policy 10

11 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Soil protection strategy : objective, pillars & tools Tools : 1. Legal framework 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies 3. Knowledge improvement through research Financial support (7th Environmental Action Program, LIFE+, Interreg, ) Centralised information (EEA/JRC/ESDAC) => Geodatabases(Interoperability) => Spatial and temporal assessments(updates) => Management guidelines => Evaluation process(indicators) 11

12 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Soil protection strategy : objective, pillars & tools Tools : 1. Legal framework 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies 3. Knowledge improvement through research 4. Awareness raising Events (Greenweeks, conferences, public consultations, ) Networking Documentation (web, atlas, ) => Cooperation with stakeholders and operators at different scales 12

13 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation 3 Practical implementation 13

14 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (1/4) geographical situation Administrative regions in charge of environmental & agricultural competences General localisation of Belgium Namur : capital of Wallonia at the intersection of the Sambre & Meuse river 14

15 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (2/4) stakeholders Walloon Parliament Walloon Governement Service Public Administration Public de Wallonie of Wallonia Public institutions of regional interest NGO s, unions, Industries / Farmers / Service providers / Citizens Soil experts Laboratories 15

16 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (2/4) administration Walloon Parliament Walloon Governement Operational DGs Service Public Administration Public de Wallonie of Wallonia Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environnement Landplanning, Housing, Patrimony and Energy. 16

17 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (2/4) administration Walloon Parliament Walloon Governement Operational DGs Service Public Administration Public de Wallonie of Wallonia Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environnement Landplanning, Housing, Patrimony and Energy. Dpt of EU policies and International agreements Department of Permits and Authorisations Department of Soil and Waste Department of Environment and Water Department of Police and Controls Department of Nature and Forests 20 yrs of existence Recent apparition of the term «soil»... 17

18 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (2/4) administration Walloon Parliament Walloon Governement Operational DGs Service Public Administration Public de Wallonie of Wallonia Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environnement Landplanning, Housing, Patrimony and Energy. Dpt of EU policies and International agreements Department of Permits and Authorisations Department of Soil and Waste Department of Environment and Water Department of Police and Controls Department of Nature and Forests... => essential transversality and cooperation! => Setting up of working groups around a soil roadmap 18

19 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (3/4) - Landscapes and human activity => Human activities and industries have mainly developped along the waterway networks and the richness of the subsoil (Sambre-and-Meuse riverline) => Agricultural activities are mainly situated in the north and forestry activities mainly in the south-east 19

20 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia context (4/4) - Soil variability => Simplified pedology and geology => High spatial variability (from sandy-loam soils to clay soils, with stones increasing in the South-East) 20

21 Hot spot for prevention issues! (EoWand biomass energy) Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia soil protection strategy implementation 0. political decision with associated means (administrative/operational/financial) 1. Legal framework Soil and agriculture direct legislation -Soil Decree (mainly contamination + article 4) (5/12/2008) - CAP and specifically cross compliance - Agri-environmental measures - Land planning / urbanism / energy code Organic material recovered on soils - Sludge decree - Recovery of certain waste - Animal By-Product regulations - Water code (pollutants & substances management) - Environmental Permits Erosion - No specific legislation yet (CAP, article 4 soil decree, ) Compaction - Forestry code 21

22 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia soil protection strategy implementation 0. political decision with associated means (administrative/operational/financial) 1. Legal framework 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies Industrial Emission Directive Waste Directive Sludge Directive Landfill & Mining Directive Environmental liability Directive Environmental Impact Assessment Directive Water Directives Common Agricultural Policy Nitrate Directive Renewable energy Directive Cohesion policy => Difficult to ensure transversality within administration and between all legal requirements => Setting up of working groups around a soilroadmap(not yetformalisedatthe political level) + land planning policy 22

23 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia soil protection strategy implementation 0. political decision with associated means (administrative/operational/financial) 1. Legal framework 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies 3. Knowledge improvement through research Financial support (public procurements, subsidies, ) Centralised information D P S I R => Transversal technical committees projects and funding => Geodatabases => Spatial and temporal assessments(updates) => Management guidelines => Evaluation process(soil quality observatory?) 23

24 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Local contamination (brownfields & landfills) 570 < area (ha) < < n brownfields < 2000 Estimated number of potentially polluted sites: between et Number of polluted sites : 1980 sites of which 1089 remediated 24

25 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Erosion Project GISER (DGO3/DRCE/DDR) Parameter: hydric diffuse erosion risk = critical slope length (modelled with 10m resolution) Slope (DEM ; grid resolution = 10 m) agricultural fields are at potential riskif more than 50% or more than 50 ares of the field has a slope > 10% about 30% of agricultural area (however only 15% are cultivated) this level of risk corresponds to ~40 t/ha.yr of effective erosion rate (2 < environmental risk<13 t/ha.yr) 27

26 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Organic carbone decline Project METAGE (DGO3/DEMNA/DEE) Parameter: common risk level = if SOC < 10 g/kg (= if organic matter < 2%) Soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration (modelled with 500m resolution) => about 40% of agricultural area is at risk 28

27 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Sealing => about 2,6 % of territory is sealed (+18% between 1984 and 2004) 30

28 Stratégie Walloon Integrated context sols visioneu Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Biodiversity floodings landslides acidification (salinisation) Project Indicateurs Qualité Biologique des sols (DGO3/DSD/DPS) => Research and mapping less advanced than for the other soil degradations Soil map is the basis for all investigations! 31

29 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Wallonia soil protection strategy implementation 0. political decision with associated means (administrative/operational/financial) 1. Legal framework 2. Integration of soil protection in formulation and implementation of EU/national/regional policies 3. Knowledge improvement through research 4. Awareness raising Action cells (GISER for soil erosion: diagnostic & discussions with municipalities/ ) Events (conferences, exhibition interreg Prosensols, ) Networking Documentation (under development) 32

30 Time & anticipation! Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Conclusions 4 Conclusions (1/2) Need of a legal framework specific to soils and allowing an integrated vision => Principles needed for a successful soil law: Data recording and management with spatial dimension (interoperability) Risk-based land management (threshold values, fit for use, background concentrations,... ) Guidelines for investigations (methodology & technique) and triggers for obligations People (transversality within administration, partnership with stakeholders, accreditation process, public information, political support,...) Polluter pays principle and liability chain Financial means (human resources, research budget, funding systems) 33

31 Integrated vision Soil protection strategy Practical implementation Conclusions 4 Conclusions (2/2) Need of a transversal work and cooperation within the administration around an integrated vision because in charge of : Implementation of policies (EU/national/regional levels) Budget proposals to political level (research and development, awareness raising, ) Cooperation with the various representatives of society Legal proposals to political level => soil protection strategy can be initiated even if no political agreement exists yet! 34

32 Thank you for your attention! Soil Protection Direction Public Administration of Wallonia 35