Legislating for Soil Conservation: A 20-Year Review and the New Approach of the CAP in Spain

Over the past two decades, soil conservation measures in the Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have played a crucial role in soil conservation in Spain. Despite detailed regional data, a comprehensive evaluation of executed public spending allocation and its drivers was lacking. This study aimed to (i) analyze direct and indirect soil conservation measures in RDPs over the last 20 years and (ii) explore the relationship between public spending, soil condition, and other drivers to evaluate if public spending was reasonably distributed. Moreover, the study reflects on the approach toward soil conservation within the new CAP. Our methodological approach included data mining and inventory creation of agri-environmental and agroforestry measures, spatial and temporal analysis, and statistical evaluation of correlations between these measures and factors such as land use, soil condition, socio-economic environment, and political influences. Results indicated an increase in executed public spending for soil conservation alongside a rising environmental perspective over three programming periods, with regional variations. A significant relationship between public investment, land use, and soil condition (including soil erosion) indicated a moderately reasonable distribution of public spending on measures for soil conservation in the last two decades within the RDPs. Political changes had minimal impact on soil conservation measures, highlighting that the CAP’s main environmental goals remain mostly apolitical. Moving forward, from 2023 onwards, all new rural development actions were incorporated into national CAP strategic plans aligned with the European Green Deal. Soil conservation measures have been largely incorporated into the CAP’s first pillar and, in some cases, it has become compulsory for farmers in order to receive subsidies, sparking conflicts in many regions. This new phase highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing soil conservation with agricultural practices amidst evolving social and environmental conditions.