Cost-effectiveness of organic farming for achieving environmental policy targets in Switzerland

The question whether it is economically efficient to pursue environmental policy targets using area support payments for organic farming is both highly policy relevant and methodologically difficult to answer. Using a sectorrepresentative economic model and life cycle assessment data, this Ph.D. thesis calculates the impacts of organic farming on fossil energy use, biodiversity and nitrogen and phosphorus eutrophication for Switzerland. These environmental impacts are related to public expenditure for organic farms and compared to targeted agri-environmental instruments in Switzerland. The thesis concludes that supporting organic farming via direct payments can be an efficient means for achieving environmental targets.