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Glossary

Diffuse discharges: A general discharge or seepage, either over or under ground, of water borne material, which is not from any readily identifiable point. Also known as non-point source discharges.

Point source discharges: A discharge from a readily identifiable source, such as from the end of a pipe.

Value: Value is defined in its holistic sense and not just in reference to economic value. It encompasses all aspects of sustainable development: environmental, social, cultural, economic.

Intensification (of agriculture): An increase in the stocking rate of animals, or increase in the level of production, from a given area of land.

Policy tools:

  1. Suasive measures: Suasive measures fall into two broad groups: education and the provision of information and voluntary agreements. This latter group includes industry agreements, such as environmental management systems, and negotiated agreements between industry and government.
  2. Command and control: These measures (or direct regulation) are "Institutional measures aimed directly at influencing the environmental performance of polluters by regulating processes and products used, by banning or limiting the discharge of certain pollutants, and/or restricting activities to certain times, areas etc". (OECD)
  3. Economic instruments: Market type levers used by natural resource managers to change the behaviour of polluters.

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