A Meta-Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Agri-Environmental Policies in the European Union

This paper applies an ANOVA-type of meta-analysis to the evaluation of agri-environmental policy in the European Union. Meta-analysis is concerned with the statistical analysis of previous research results, and has become an established technique in the medical and natural science. The paper investigates whether specific conditions, under which agri-environmental measures are applied, have an effect on the behaviour of farmers with respect to three indicators, N-fertiliser, livestock density and area of grassland. The results indicate that agri-environmental policy intervention has a positive effect on the behaviour of farmers participating in agri-environmental programmes. The average premium per hectare and the absolute value of N-fertiliser, livestock density and area of grassland appear to have a significant influence on the behaviour of these farmers.