Tindale S.1, Ojo M.1, Gallardo-Cobos R.2, Hunter E.3, Miškolci S.4, Vicario-Modroño V.2, Newell Price P.5, Sánchez-Zamora P.2, Sonnevelt M.6 and Frewer L.J.1
1Centre for Rural Economy, Newcastle University, United Kingdom; 2Department of Agricultural Economics, ETSIAM, Córdoba University, Spain; 3Department of Work Science, Business Economics and Environmental Psychology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; 4Department of Regional and Business Economics, FRDIS, Mendel University, Brno, Czech Republic; 5ADAS Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, United Kingdom; 6World Food System Center, ETH Zurich, Stampfenbachstrasse 52, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Abstract
Permanent grassland (PG) landscapes offer an important mix of ecosystem services (ES) which include habitat provision, carbon sequestration, water quality protection, food production and cultural activities, among others. In policies relevant to PG management, citizen and consumer demand for ES are less well considered than the supply of ES. In order to develop sustainable grassland food systems, it is important to understand attitudes of citizens and consumers to ensure sustainable management of PGs, and the balance of ES they provide, in order to develop sustainable grassland food systems. This study focuses on the work of researchers in the H2020 SUPER-G project (Sustainable Permanent Grassland Systems and Policies) to identify priorities and preferences of citizens for ES provision from PG landscapes in a comparison across five biogeographic zones in Europe. We present results of an international online survey (n=3,184) conducted with a nationally representative sample of citizens in five European countries (UK, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic and Switzerland) in 2021. Structural equation modelling is used to model the drivers of public attitudes to grassland landscapes, including understanding factors that predict behavioural intentions to spend time in grasslands, and purchase products from grassland. We discuss the results in the context of the processes required to co-develop sustainable policy options for PG, and the role of citizen priorities in the development of agri-environment policy.
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