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Land Abandonment in Mountain Areas of the EU: An Inevitable Side Effect of Farming Modernization and Neglected Threat to Sustainable Land Use

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Dax

    (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research (BAB), Dietrichgasse 27, A-1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Karin Schroll

    (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research (BAB), Dietrichgasse 27, A-1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Ingrid Machold

    (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research (BAB), Dietrichgasse 27, A-1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Martyna Derszniak-Noirjean

    (Austrian Institute for Regional Studies (ÖIR), Franz-Josefs-Kai 27, A-1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Bernd Schuh

    (Austrian Institute for Regional Studies (ÖIR), Franz-Josefs-Kai 27, A-1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen

    (Austrian Institute for Regional Studies (ÖIR), Franz-Josefs-Kai 27, A-1010 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

In a period of rising concern for sustainable land management systems to achieve food security at a global scale, land-use changes demand increased attention. This study assesses the past observations and future risk calculations for land abandonment across European regions, highlighting the particular risk for mountain areas. It draws from a study commissioned by the European Parliament to investigate the situation and probability for high and very high risk of land abandonment until 2030. Revealing that land abandonment is at three times higher risk in mountain areas than in non-mountain areas, the need for action to cope with this pressure is the core result. We reveal that the high disparity in agricultural competitiveness between regions (at fine geographical scale) is the main driving force leading to the spatially uneven performance of land management. Viewing this wide set of drivers and mitigation options, land abandonment is understood as the outcome of a multitude of factors of socio-ecological systems and a combination of farm-specific, internal regional and trans-regional factors. The present dominance of narratives of effectiveness leaves little scope for mountain regions under threat of abandonment and marginalization. In this situation, policy reform would address the issue but this might turn out to be influential only if the complex nature and trade-off of the comprehensive policy framework are prioritized.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Dax & Karin Schroll & Ingrid Machold & Martyna Derszniak-Noirjean & Bernd Schuh & Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen, 2021. "Land Abandonment in Mountain Areas of the EU: An Inevitable Side Effect of Farming Modernization and Neglected Threat to Sustainable Land Use," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:6:p:591-:d:568190
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Konstantinos Chontos & Ioannis Tsiripidis, 2023. "Open Habitats under Threat in Mountainous, Mediterranean Landscapes: Land Abandonment Consequences in the Vegetation Cover of the Thessalian Part of Mt Agrafa (Central Greece)," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, April.
    7. Robert A. Marchant & Aida Cuni-Sanchez, 2022. "Special Issue Editorial: Mountains under Pressure," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-5, August.
    8. Erik Aschenbrand, 2022. "How Can We Promote Sustainable Regional Development and Biodiversity Conservation in Regions with Demographic Decline? The Case of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Elbe River Landscape Brandenburg, Germany," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, September.
    9. Yiming Sang & Liangjie Xin, 2023. "Factors Determining Concurrent Reclamation and Abandonment of Cultivated Land on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, May.
    10. Lulu Zhou & Li Wang & Kangchuan Su & Guohua Bi & Hongji Chen & Xiaoyu Liu & Qingyuan Yang, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Rural Restructuring Evolution and Driving Forces in Mountainous and Hilly Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-24, June.
    11. Bo Liu & Wei Song & Qian Sun, 2022. "Status, Trend, and Prospect of Global Farmland Abandonment Research: A Bibliometric Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-30, November.

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