Abstract

Diffuse nutrient pollution from agriculture has been the concern of policymakers for several decades, and yet it remains a persistent environmental issue. The current approach to mitigating the problem is predominantly via command and control regulation within the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive. This article will set out how diffuse pollution can be considered a wicked policy problem which acts as an explanation of how it has eluded the current regulatory regime. It will further establish that the traditional planning process overlooked the complexity of the problem. Finally, it will illustrate the ineffectiveness of the current regulatory framework to mitigate the problem. This will be exemplified through the legal framework of Northern Ireland.

中文翻译：

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农业扩散性养分污染的邪恶问题

摘要

几十年来，决策者一直关注农业中广泛的养分污染问题，但仍然是一个持久的环境问题。当前解决该问题的方法主要是通过《硝酸盐指令》和《水框架指令》中的命令和控制法规进行的。本文将阐述如何将弥漫性污染视为一个邪恶的政策问题，以解释其如何逃避了当前的监管制度。它将进一步证明传统的计划过程忽略了问题的复杂性。最后，它将说明当前监管框架在缓解该问题方面的有效性。这将通过北爱尔兰的法律框架得到体现。