Brazilian payment for environmental services programs emphasize water-related services

Abstract

Based on “user pays” and “provider gets” principles, the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) consists of providing economic incentives or compensation for land users who adopt activities that promote ecosystem services. These PES initiatives have grown rapidly in Brazil over the last few decades, however, studies that address the panorama of these programs in the country are still scarce, regional, or outdated. Here, we investigate the PES overview in Brazil through interviews and an extensive literature review. We found in total 80 PES programs implemented in Brazil, of which 14 were closed. The programs are poorly distributed across the country, mostly concentrated in the Atlantic Forest (56.25%) and Savanna (36.25%) biomes, in Southeastern Brazil. The majority of programs primarily prioritize improving water quality and quantity. Therefore, reforestation, protection of native vegetation, and soil and water conservation are their main proposed practices. The positive impacts of Brazil's PES experiences are evident; while the lack of transparency and monitoring, and poor spatial and financial distribution are still major limitations. We conclude that if correctly implemented, PES schemes offer a path to reconcile environmental conservation with agricultural production in Brazil.