Conservation Expert Urges CT Countries to Pursue Payment for Ecosystem Services Initiatives

Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, one of the world’s leading experts in Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), challenged the Coral Triangle countries to pursue PES initiatives, particularly for coastal areas, during the session "Conversation in Conservation: PES and New Frontiers in Sustainable Financing" held at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria  onSeptember 18, 2012.

Mr. Rodriguez is Vice President at Conservation International and the former Minister of Environment and Energy for Costa Rica. He was one of the three speakers who shared lessons on international good practice on PES and how to make PES work in the Philippines.

“This region of the world must be the world example for PES,” he said. Some processes of coordination must begin in the CTI that will serve as an example for the world.” In his sharing, he discussed the political preconditions needed for successful implementation of PES systems that benefit local communities.

The other two speakers who shared about PES applications in the Philippines were Ms. Noela Lasmarias, PES Specialist from the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources National Support Program for Environment and Natural Resources Management and Ms. Rina Maria Rosales, Senior Resource Economist for USAID’s ECOFISH Project. Ms. Lasmarias talked about PES applications in forests and upland areas while Ms. Rosales suggested ways on how to move PES forward in the marine and coastal sectors.

In his talk, Mr. Rodriguez defined PES as “a  financial instrument that fully recognizes ecological services between providers and users." He explained that it was a private transaction between them, were the Government is in the middle setting  policies, rules, procedures, institutional administration and the political will to internalize them.

He also referred to PES as an effective tool to achieve an ambitious, long-term political objective. He stressed, however, that it has to be well positioned and it has to be recognized by the stakeholders.  In Costa Rica, they used PES to initiate a political process which moved the country to an agenda for sustainable development.

Among those who attended the event were consultants from CTI Southeast Asia  and the CTI Knowledge Management project which are both managed by PRIMEX, and representatives from WWF, JICA, GIZ, USAID Philippines, Conservation International, Climate Change Commission, NEWCAP, NZAid Climate Change Project, VSO Bahiginan, and ADB.

Follow this link to watch a short video of Mr. Rodriguez speak about PES in Asia..