Environmental subsidies are used as incitements to farmers for development of sustainable land use. In 2014, applications for funding constructed wetlands were not available. This paper examines the environmental consequences of this lack of funding in one intensively cultivated region Skåne län, southern Sweden. A review of wetland applications between year 2007-2013 show that the average rate of applications has been 31 projects per year with a wetland size of 4,48 ± 1,61ha per project (mean±95% CI). Based on interviews, the result suggests that the lack of funding in one year leads to between 102 and 140 ha of constructed wetlands that is not built. This correspond to a total loss of increased nitrogen retention capacity between 6,0 and 91,7 tons/year and a loss of increased phosphorus retention capacity between 0,17and 2,1 tons/year in the drainage basins of Skåne. Further the interviews show that continuity of environmental regulations and funding is important for the farmers’ interest in environmental measures. It is concluded that the total loss of increased retention capacity is small compared to the annual transport of nitrogen and phosphorus in the drainage basins. However, changes and interruptions in regulations reduce the confidence in authorities among farmers. This may have more negative, long term effects by ceasing the interest for environmental measures.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka skyddet för biologisk mångfald på global nivå, inom EU och på nationell nivå. Vidare syftar framställningen till att belysa odlingslandskapets biologiska mångfald, hoten mot densamma samt miljöersättningars effektivitet som styrmedel för att hejda förlusten av biologisk mångfald. För att besvara syftet har en rättsdogmatisk metod använts, vilken kompletterats med en rättsekonomisk analys för att utröna huruvida miljöersättningar kan anses vara effektiva. Hoten mot den biologiska mångfalden i odlingslandskapet består dels av ett intensiverat jordbruk, vilket berövar arter sina livsmiljöer genom förändrat bruk av marken, dels av att jordbruk läggs ner. För att vända trenden med minskad biologisk mångfald behöver variationen öka där jordbruket är intensivt, och i områden där jordbruket läggs ner krävs åtgärder som bidrar till att jordbruket fortsätter. Miljöersättningar är ett ekonomiskt styrmedel som används för att minska förlusten av biologisk mångfald i odlingslandskapet. Vad som kan konstateras gällande detta styrmedel är att det har betydelse för bevarandet av mångfalden i odlingslandskapet, men att det hade kunnat vara utformat på ett effektivare sätt, till exempel genom att vara värde- och resultatbaserade istället för kostnads- och åtgärdsbaserade / The purpose of the thesis is to investigate the protection of biodiversity at the global level, within the EU and in Swedish law. Furthermore, the presentation aims to shed light on the biological diversity of the cultivated landscape, the threats to it and the effectiveness of environmental payments as a means of controlling the loss of biodiversity. In order to answer the purpose, a traditional legal analysis has been used, which has been supplemented by a legaleconomic analysis to determine whether environmental payments can be considered an effective policy instrument. The threats to biodiversity in the cultivation landscape consist partly of intensified agriculture, which deprives the species of their habitats by changing the use of the land and partly of the fact that agriculture is abandoned. In order to reverse the trend of reduced biodiversity, the variation needs to increase where agriculture is intensive, and in areas where agriculture is closed down, measures that contribute to the continuation of agriculture are necessary. Environmental compensation is an economic policy instrument used to reduce the loss of biodiversity in the agricultural landscape. The results of the study indicates that economic compensation indeed is an important instrument to preserve diversity in the cultivation landscape, but that it should be designed in a more efficient way, for example by being based on value and result rather than cost and action as is the case today.