Introduction

Environmental standards, environmental taxes, agri-environmental payments and tradeable permit schemes are important tools in the policy makers’ arsenal for managing agri-environmental issues. Applications vary internationally, and have evolved over time as lessons are learned about the merits of alternative approaches for different problems and as the problems themselves change. The scope of agri-environmental problems and issues has expanded over time including recognition that agriculture also contributes to providing environmental services. As a consequence, the types of policy instruments used to address them have expanded with varying degrees of success.