A Lens for Analysis of Payment for Ecosystem Services Systems: Transitioning the Working Lands Economic Sector from Extractive Industry to Regenerative System

Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) systems are gaining attention worldwide. These systems are an increasingly used incentive structure for conservation, presenting a significant opportunity for science to impact and shape commerce. However, PES systems lack a unifying framework to analyze and eval...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Gordon N. Merrick
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/6/637
Description
Summary:Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) systems are gaining attention worldwide. These systems are an increasingly used incentive structure for conservation, presenting a significant opportunity for science to impact and shape commerce. However, PES systems lack a unifying framework to analyze and evaluate them from multiple perspectives, including ecological revitalization alongside economic and social revitalization. In this study, I formulate a new analytical framework that accommodates both public and private PES systems, and test the framework with hypotheticals from both systems. Utilizing the framework developed, this article shows that publicly-operated PES systems function optimally, as a public system provides optimized benefits regarding societal and ecological outcomes, now and for future generations.
ISSN:2073-445X