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4.5  Measures with multiple benefits

Measures with multiple benefits can be understood as actions which are beneficial to the achievement of environmental requirements of more than one policy instrument or to the improvement of one or more ecosystems (e.g. groundwater, surface waters, floodplain, soil). Furthermore, their combined effect can lead to improved functioning of ecosystems for example self-purification, water storage or nutrient sequestration, recreation, and other ecosystem services.

Several water management measures can deliver multiple benefits such as river and floodplain restoration, integrated freshwater and coastal zone management, or projects like ‘making room for the river’. Buffer strips can also deliver multiple benefits by reducing nutrient input by erosion in surface waters and, on a larger scale, reducing nutrient input into marine waters as well as increasing terrestrial biodiversity. Extensification of land-use reduces nutrient and pollution inflow into soil and groundwater, improves the local hydrological regime, avoids impacts of droughts and makes the landscape nicer for recreation. Furthermore, water saving and conservation bring additional benefits, by ensuring sufficient water for environmental needs and reducing pollution discharges and energy use.

Multi-benefit measures are also related to source reduction approaches. Within European strategies, like the  7^th EAP, the Biodiversity Strategy or Farm to Fork Strategy, goals are sustainable resource efficiency and the use of an integrated nutrient management. Certain multi-benefit measures combine pollution reduction with the reuse of resources, for example the reuse of phosphorus retained in waste water or sewage sludge and their use in agriculture. This is also in line with the goals of the Green Deal on circular economy actions.