Land Use Conflicts and Synergies on Agricultural Land in Brandenburg, Germany

Abstract

The growing and multiple interests in land as a resource has led to an increase in locally or regionally clashing land use interests on agricultural land which may result in conflicts or open up possibilities for synergies. Urbanization, food production, renewable energy production, environmental protection, and climate protection are known as key land use interests in many regions. The objective of our study is to identify and map land use conflicts, land use synergies, and areas with land use synergy potentials in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. We have combined different methods: an analysis of statistical data, an online survey with farmers, a primary document analysis (articles, court documents, policy documents, position papers), and a GIS-based spatial analysis. In our Brandenburg case study, we have identified the use of agricultural land for renewable energy production and environmental protection as the most relevant land use interests leading to conflict situations. We show that land use synergies can make a significant contribution to achieving environmental and climate protection goals, as well as sustainable development. Through the site-adapted and targeted establishment of agroforestry systems, agricultural areas with agri-photovoltaic systems and agricultural parcels with integrated nonproductive areas may lead to land use synergies. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the occurrence of land use conflicts and land use synergies. We highlight the potential for targeted and sustainable environmental and climate protection through the promotion of land use synergies as a result of establishing agroforestry systems and agricultural parcels with agri-photovoltaic systems and integrated nonproductive areas. Our results provide a basis for agricultural policy to promote land use systems that contribute to environmental and climate protection.

Status report on emerging photovoltaics

“…On the other hand, there are now not only competitive situations with traditional agriculture, but also land use conflicts between energy crop cultivation and photovoltaics in particular have become a priority problem, for example in Germany. 252 However, a solution to these land use conflicts could be found in a dual use of the available land through agrivoltaics, 253 a coexisting agriculture with PV installations, providing a solution to the water-food-energy nexus. 254 Typical agrivoltaic system installation parameter considerations (presented in Fig.…”

“…In western countries, for example, this has led to increased state regulation with the associated extensive bureaucracy for the realization of new regenerative power plants, which makes further expansion considerably more difficult. On the other hand, there are now not only competitive situations with traditional agriculture, but also land use conflicts between energy crop cultivation and photovoltaics in particular have become a priority problem, for example in Germany 252 …”