River conservation and restoration in croplands: can we improve the common agriculture policy as an instrument of practice?

Abstract This study investigates the integration of river restoration with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), focusing on the differences between European Union (EU) and Portuguese documents regarding river restoration terms. A thematic content analysis highlights that despite the varying document sizes, the proportion of mentions related to river restoration and management is similar, indicating comparable importance. Portuguese legislation prioritizes water management due to geographic and climatic conditions, emphasizing conditionality over proactive measures. The significance of wetlands and peatlands in Portuguese documents is linked to Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 2) regulations, but active restoration terms are underutilized as opposed to passive restoration, reflecting a maintenance‐oriented approach. EU CAP documents emphasize agricultural impacts on the environment, aligning with the Water Framework Directive and addressing key topics such as wetlands, buffer zones, and agricultural constraints near waterbodies. The Portuguese CAP Strategic Plan restricts agri‐environmental commitments financing to Natura 2000 areas, excluding much farmland from support, with eco‐schemes and agri‐environmental measures being limited and underfunded. This study underscores the need for policy development to increase the adoption of voluntary, incentive‐based measures for more effective river restoration within European cropland.