Institutional Dimensions of Payments for Ecosystem Services: An Analysis of Mexico's carbon Forestry Programme

Institutional Dimensions of Payments for Ecosystem Services: An Analysis of Mexico's carbon Forestry Programme

background

In recent years, Mexico has established a payment for environmental service (PES) program where governments pay rural communities and farmers for environmental service provisions: water quality, carbon fixation, biodiversity, etc. These PES programs have been more effective when designed by both providers and users collaboratively. In 2004, the Mexican government developed the program Payments for Carbon, Biodiversity and Agro-forestry Services (PSA-CABSA).

Research Goals & Methods

In four rural communities receiving carbon payments from the PSA-CABSA program, the authors conducted focus group exercises to document the participants' perception of the program.

Conclusions & Takeaways

Unlike top down approaches, this program resulted from peasant and forest-based organizations lobbying for a PES program. Applications were numerous but many were rejected due to various factors. The authors observed that the implementation of the project for those accepted had been moving very slowly. Results indicated that 46.9% of interviewed people believed that the PSA-CABSA income was important for their livelihoods. Interviewees appreciated that the program reinforces the idea that forest conservation can provide both timber and other services.

 

Reference: 

Corbera E, Soberanis CGonzález, Brown K. Institutional dimensions of Payments for Ecosystem Services: An analysis of Mexico\textquotesingles carbon forestry programme. Ecological Economics. 2009;68:743–761. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.06.008.

Affiliation: 

  • School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, UK
  • Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, UK
  • Overseas Development Group, University of East Anglia, UK