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To what extent has sustainable intensification in England been achieved?
David I Armstrong McKay1, John A Dearing1, James G Dyke1
1Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
The Science of the Total Environment
|October 21, 2018
Summary
Sustainable intensification (SI) in England increased yields but caused environmental damage. While most ecosystem services recovered after 2000, farmland biodiversity has not, and impacts are offshored, requiring further SI.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural science
- Environmental science
- Ecosystem services
Background:
- Agricultural intensification has boosted food production but degraded the environment.
- Sustainable Intensification (SI) aims to increase food production while reducing environmental harm.
- Uncertainty exists regarding the extent of SI, its drivers, and the offshoring of environmental degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess agroecosystem services in England since 1950.
- To analyze the trends and drivers of environmental change in English agriculture.
- To evaluate the progress and trade-offs of Sustainable Intensification in England.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of ecosystem service metrics in England and two sub-regions (Eastern and South-Western England).
- Development of a simple system dynamics model to understand agricultural changes.
- Examination of trends from 1950 to the present.
Main Results:
- Rapid agricultural intensification led to significant environmental degradation by the early 1980s.
- Most ecosystem services, excluding farmland biodiversity, began recovering after 2000 due to reduced livestock and fertilizer use.
- Recovery partially aligns with an Environmental Kuznets Curve, with decoupling of environmental degradation from GDP growth above ~£17,000 per capita.
Conclusions:
- Sustainable Intensification appears to have commenced in England.
- Key trade-offs include the lack of biodiversity recovery and the offshoring of agricultural impacts due to reduced UK food self-sufficiency.
- Future SI is crucial for maintaining yields, restoring biodiversity, and addressing climate change and offshored degradation.
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