The ecosystemic visions in the relationship between agriculture and environment are increasingly strategic in the International and European agricultural policies. In fact, in recent decades there has been a progressive shift of the objectives from agricultural production to the functional interaction between agriculture and ecosystems. This increasing level of complexity will result in a further adjustement of the CAP funds in favor of policies more integrated with the environmental objectives.

The evolution of environmental, agricultural and energy policies toward a higher integration makes even more strategic to carry out researches, analysis and assessments  with an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, through activities referring to all natural resources, the sustainable use of the resources and the related policy frameworks.

In this research area of INEA the projects study and analyse the use and protection of natural resources, their sustainable use in agriculture, the environmental and agricultural policies andthe methods of analysis to support decision-making processes.

The objectives considered strategic for the future include:

• Assessment, monitoring and analysis of effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural and environmental policies;
• Agriculture and climate change - impacts on the agricultural sector, actions and adaptation policies;
• Climatic and phytosanitary risk management in agriculture and environmental sustainability of related economic instruments and policies;
• Degradation of agricultural soils and land use change.

Several projects are underway on the main issues under discussion at scientific and policy level, particularly focused on:

• Sustainable use and protection of water resources in agriculture;
• Impact of climate change in agriculture and livestock
• Climatic risk management
• Bio-energy and renewable energy.