Economic issues

The Prospects for Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in Vietnam: A Look at Three Payment Schemes

Background

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Willingness to Pay for Mangroves’ Coastal Protection: A Case Study in Santo Angel, Calauag, Quezon, Philippines

Background

People recognize mangroves for providing crucial coastal protection against strong wave actions, including tsunamis and storm surges, with examples from Bangladesh, Florida, and the Philippines demonstrating their effectiveness. However, despite their importance, global mangrove extent has been decreasing, primarily due to human activities, particularly in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, land-use conversion, exploitation, and natural hazards have significantly reduced mangrove areas since the early 1900s.

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Could Payments for Forest Carbon Contribute to Improved Tropical Forest Management?

Background

The study is motivated by the debate over whether carbon finance can incentivize better logging practices, particularly in areas where conventional, unregulated logging leads to significant environmental degradation. Under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), industrialized countries can finance carbon sequestration projects in developing countries to meet part of their emissions reduction commitments. However, it also raises concerns that such mechanisms could allow developed countries to avoid reducing their fossil fuel emissions. This paper examines whether payments for forest carbon could support improved natural forest management (NFM) in tropical regions.  

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Forests as Capital: Financial Mechanisms for Tropical Forest Conservation

Background

Despite global conservation efforts, recent data suggests deforestation has accelerated, with tropical regions accounting for the majority of global forest loss. Financial investment in conservation and sustainable forest management (SFM) is currently insufficient, with estimates indicating that funding may need to increase by up to ten times to effectively address forest degradation. This article explores a diverse array of financial mechanisms—including REDD+, sustainability certification, ecological compensation, community forestry, and official development assistance—that aim to treat forests as economic capital to attract investment for conservation and SFM.

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The social and ecological costs of reforestation. Territorialization and industrialization of land use accompany forest transitions in Southeast Asia

Background

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Prospects for integration of carbon and biodiversity credits: an Australian case study review

BACKGROUND:

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What is the contribution of forest-related income to rural livelihood strategies in the Philippines’ remaining forested landscapes?

Background

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The Realities of Community Based Natural Resource Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND:

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What works in tropical forest conservation, and what does not: Effectiveness of four strategies in terms of environmental, social, and economic outcomes

Background

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Livelihoods, Forests, and Conservation in Developing Countries: An Overview

BACKGROUND:

Poverty is a huge challenge, with 2.8 billion of the world’s 6 billion people living on less than $2 a day. The paper highlights the alarming extent of poverty in developing countries and addresses the rapid deforestation, which compromises ecological integrity and exacerbates social inequities. The authors focus on exploring whether poverty alleviation and forest conservation can be aligned as complementary rather than conflicting objectives.

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