The Wicked Problem of Diffuse Nutrient Pollution from Agriculture

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.