Environmental performance of organic farming

Summary

Content of chapter 8:
8.1 Organic farming as a green technology
8.2 Environmental impacts of organic farming
8.2.1 Biodiversity and landscape
8.2.2 Resource depletion
8.2.3 Climate change
8.2.4 Ground and surface water pollution
8.2.5 Air quality
8.2.6 Soil fertility
8.3 Methodological implications for a comparison
of farming systems
8.3.1 Classification of methodological characteristics
8.3.2 Discussion of methodological implications
8.3.2.1 Consideration of the multifunctional character of agriculture
8.3.2.2 Covering land use impacts
8.3.2.3 Heterogeneity of products
8.3.2.4 Covering social and economic aspects of sustainable development
8.3.2.5 Regional variations in natural system capacity
and environmental legislation
8.3.2.6 Consideration of the whole farm
8.3.2.7 Normative assumptions
8.3.2.8 Resulting decisions of agents are not taken into account
8.3.2.9 Bias of complexity and data availability
8.4 Conclusions