Indicators to identify the agricultural pressures on environmental functions and their use in the development of agri-environmental measures

The effects of agricultural activities on the environment can be presented by suitable pressure indicators. These pressure indicators can also be used as control variables to achieve a desired environmental state. Therefore, pressure indicators can play a decisive role in the elaboration of agri-environmental measures. This paper deals with the use of pressure indicators to assess the sustainability of agricultural land use on the one hand, and their contribution to the development of agri-environmental measures on the other hand. After the illustration of the general political background on the CAP evolution and the information needed for monitoring, control and ex-post assessment, the methodological approach of the AEMBAC project to provide this information is presented. Experiences in applying pressure indicators in assessing the agri-environmental measures are discussed and their applicability for the identification of environmental impacts, management and monitoring is evaluated.