Policy Levers for Enhancing Ecosystem Services in European Permanent Grasslands

This policy brief analyses EU and national policies governing permanent grassland management across five European biogeographic regions. It maps key policies using the Cascade Framework, assessing intervention logics—targets and intended outcomes—based on stakeholder input and publicly available documents. Findings reveal underuse of effective policy instruments, such as public information campaigns and results-based payments, alongside challenges like complexity, fragmented data, and low stakeholder engagement. The brief calls for a centralised, transparent repository of policy information, enhanced stakeholder involvement, improved education, and alternative frameworks that extend beyond landowner-focused instruments to stimulate public demand for ecosystem services. Evidence is drawn from the SUPER-G project (EC Grant 774124-2), including Delphi surveys with 50 stakeholders and analysis of 50 policy instruments.