Eco. Compensation

Payments for Ecosystem Services: Market Mechanism or Diversified Modes?

Expand
  • 1. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 102488, China;
    2. Institute of Industrial Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100836, China

Received date: 2015-10-26

  Online published: 2015-11-25

Supported by

the National Science and Technology Support Program (2013BAC03B05); Monographic study of Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences “Research of Eco-Compensation Experience in Developed Countries”.

Abstract

Payment for ecosystem services is a concept of environmental protection and method of environmental management that has “purchasing conservation” as a major feature and has grown around the world since the 1990s. It is stressed by the school of environmental economics that as a voluntary mechanism of exchange between ecological service providers and demanders, payments for ecosystem services can help to increase inputs and improve efficiency. Ecological economics holds that the ecological system and the complexity of the policy environment restrict the functional space of market mechanisms. The negative influence of the objective of giving priority to efficiency on environmental protection and social fairness cannot be neglected; therefore, the exchange mechanism is just one type of eco-compensation models. Here, we posit that payments for ecosystem services is a good tool for environmental protection and increases inputs and efficiency. Although payment for ecosystem services is confronted with challenges in application, it is playing an increasingly important role in the field of ecological services with a relatively high degree of commodification. Payments for ecosystem services can also increase the cost effectiveness of publicly managed environmental projects with the cooperation of other policy tools.

Cite this article

LIU Yanhong, GUO Chaoxian . Payments for Ecosystem Services: Market Mechanism or Diversified Modes?[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2015 , 6(6) : 420 -426 . DOI: 10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2015.06.010

References

[1] Derissen S and U Latacz-Lohmann. 2013. What are PES? A review of definitions and an extension. Ecosystem Services, 6: 12-15.
[2] Engel S, S Pagiola and S Wunder. 2008. Designing payments for environmental services in theory and practice: An overview of the issues. Ecological Economics, 65(4): 663-674.
[3] Farley J and R Costanza. 2010. Payments for ecosystem services: From local to global. Ecological Economics, 69(11): 2060-2068.
[4] Hecken G van and J Bastiaensen. 2010. Payments for ecosystem services: justified or not? A political view. Environmental Science & Policy, 13(8): 785-792.
[5] MA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment). 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. Washington: Island Press.
[6] Mao X, Zhong Y, Zhang S. 2002. Theoretical study on ecological compensation. China Population, Resource and Environment, 12(4): 38-41. (in Chinese)
[7] Muradian R and L Rival. 2012. Between markets and hierarchies: The challenge of governing ecosystem services. Ecosystem Services, 1(1): 93-100.
[8] Muradian R, E Corbera, U Pascual, et al. 2010. Reconciling theory and practice: An alternative conceptual framework for understanding payments for environmental services. Ecological Economics, 69(6): 1202-1208.
[9] Schomers S and B Matzdorf. 2013. Payments for ecosystem services: A review and comparison of developing and industrialized countries. Ecosystem Services, 6: 16-30.
[10] State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). 2007. The guidance on the pilot work of ecological compensation. SEPA [2007]130. http://www.hbepb.gov.cn/zwgk/zcwj/hbbwj/200711/t20071105_9528.html
[11] Tacconi L. 2012. Redefining payments for environmental services. Ecological Economics, 73: 29-36.
[12] UKDEFRA. 2013. Developing the potential for Payments for Ecosystem Services: An action plan. UKDEFRA, May 2013.
[13] Vatn A. 2010. An institutional analysis of payments for environmental services. Ecological Economics, 69(6): 1245-1252.
[14] Wunder S, S Engel and S Pagiola. 2008. Taking stock: A comparative analysis of payments for environmental services programs in developed and developing countries. Ecological Economics, 65(4): 834-852.
[15] Wunder S. 2005. Payments for Environmental Services: Some nuts and bolts. Bogor: CIFOR Occasional Paper, No. 42.
[16] Yin R, Zhao M J, Yao S B. 2014. Designing and implementing payments for ecosystem services programs: What lessons can be learned from China’s experience of restoring degraded cropland? Environmental Science & Technology, 48(1): 19-20.
[17] Yu H, Ren Y. 2008. Eco-compensation scheme in China: Concept, issue types and policy options. China Soft Science, 06: 7-15. (in Chinese)
[18] Zikos D. 2008. Urban water dilemmas under the multi-dimensional prism of sustainability. Transactions on Business and Economics, 8 (5): 413-422.
Outlines

/