Description

The purpose of this paper is to assess the requirements, current state and key issues related to organization and governance in the compensation and reward for ecosystem services (CRES) needed to achieve pro-poor outcomes. It reviews the institutional evolution of CRES both conceptually and in practice, and presents a broad view of the many governance, legal and political economy related aspects of CRES.

To increase potential for pro-poor outcomes of CRES, the opportunity for local conditions to define the supporting institutional structures and norms that surround CRES is critical. There are a wide range of institutional models of CRES that can benefit the poor, and these tend to include features such as: building upon and strengthening existing institutions of the poor, allowing flexibility in land use options and in the timeframe for adoption and adaptation of land use, simplification of monitoring and reporting to fit local capacity, and orientation and training of intermediary organizations who serve as brokers to the poor and help them to aggregate supply of CRES services and mediate with buyers. Some key priority actions and areas for further research conclude the paper.

(Excerpt from paper’s Abstract)