Environmental Management in Bulgarian Agriculture – Modes, Efficiency, Perspectives

Abstract

This paper presents the evolution of diverse modes of environmental management in Bulgarian agriculture, and assesses their efficiency and likely prospects of development. First, it analyzes the pace of development and the impact(s) on individual behavior of the major modes of environmental governance - that is: (i) institutional environment (distribution and enforcement of property, user, trading etc. rights and rules); (ii) private and collective modes (diverse private initiatives, and contractual and organizational arrangements); (iii) market modes (various decentralized initiatives governed by "free" market price movements and market competition); (iv) public modes (different forms of Government, community, international etc. intervention). Second, it assesses the impact(s) of dominating systems of governance on the state of environment and identifies the major eco-challenges, conflicts and risks such as an increased competition for natural resources, degradation and contamination of farmland, pollution of surface and groundwater, loss of biodiversity, deterioration of (agro)eco-systems services etc. Third, it projects likely evolution of environmental management in the specific "Bulgarian" economic, institutional and natural environment, and estimates its probable effect(s) on environmental security, and suggests recommendations for institutional modernization and public policies improvement.