Mapping policy stakeholders up to EU level across EJP SOIL Partner Countries

The overall aim of the European Joint Programme for soil (EJP SOIL) Science to policy interaction work package 8 (WP8), is to support a strengthened science-policy interface in the area of agricultural soil management and climate change mitigation and adaptation. This work aims to provide support for policies and initiatives concerned with soil C accounting, the delivery of soil ecosystem services and enhanced soil quality and optimised soil management and fertilisation practices. This report (D8.4Report mapping policy stakeholders at EU level and in EJP SOIL partner countries) details the outcomes of EJP SOIL Sub-Task 8.1.1 - Analysis of key policy stakeholders. The methodology (Appendix A, B) outlined in Section 4 was developed to help identify key stakeholders and stakeholder organisationsinvolved across different scales i.e. regional level, national level and national to EU level, who have particular relevance for the EJP SOIL policy domains. These domains focus on 1. climate change mitigation (policies to mitigate or limit climate change related to agricultural land), 2. climate change adaptation (policies that respond to changing weather patterns affecting agricultural soils), 3.sustainable production (food and agricultural policies), and 4. sustainable environment which was divided into two sub-domains, ecosystem services (land base services including water purification and regulation, climate regulation, biodiversity and nutrient cycling) and avoiding land degradation(sustainable agricultural management practices). This sub-division was done to facilitate a more in depth analysis of the two very complex policy branches of sustainable environment within the scope of the EJP SOIL Programme. The methodology consisted of two main activities, an initial identification and shortlisting of stakeholders (Table 3B & 4B, Appendix B) as well as an analysis of the shortlisted policy stakeholders (Table 5B, Appendix B). Those key policy stakeholders that were shortlisted were then asked to complete a survey that facilitated the analysis of the mapped stakeholders. This analysis,conducted under Sub-Task 8.1.1, assessed various stakeholder attributes including their knowledge of policy, influence on decision making processes and capacity to mobilise resources. It allowed their position within the EJP SOIL policy stakeholder network to be described, and will contribute to the purposes of future WP8 activities such as Sub-Task 8.2.1 Needs Analysis of policy stakeho