This article explores ecosystem service trading. To date, most of the literature on this topic has focused on programs in which those who purchase rights to ecosystems use them to replace other, damaged ecosystems. An example would be the Wetlands Mitigation Banking Program, about which much as...

In this paper, we use an integrated assessment model to examine the implications of not recognizing, and partially recognizing forest carbon in climate policy. Specifically, we investigate the impact of an asymmetric carbon policy that recognizes emissions from fossil fuels while ignoring...

Deforestation has long been heavily studied; several proximate and underlying causes behind the global decrease of forest extent have been discussed. However, systematic analyses of positive examples are sparse, even if forestation is happening in almost 70 countries (on approximately 40% of the...

The world has pledged to protect 30 percent of its land and waters by 2030 to halt the rapid deterioration of critical ecosystems. We summarize the state of knowledge about the impacts of protected area policies, with a focus on deforestation and vegetation cover. We discuss critical issues...

The world has pledged to protect 30 percent of its land and waters by 2030 to halt the rapid deterioration of critical ecosystems. We summarize the state of knowledge about the impacts of protected area policies, with a focus on deforestation and vegetation cover. We discuss critical issues...

This chapter reviews the current status of and prospects for efforts to include emissions from deforestation (and international forest carbon activities in general) in emerging greenhouse gas compliance regimes at the international level; future iterations of the European Union Emissions Trading...

This paper demonstrates how institutions for natural resource management (such as community forestry groups), which appear to be participative, equitable and efficient, can be found lacking on all three counts from a gender perspective. It also examines possible gender differences in social...

This paper presents a thorough reflection on Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs, which may be viewed as the most innovative tools of the ‘environmental policy toolkit'. These are incentive-based mechanisms, compensating landowners to manage the natural resources under their control...

From ecosystems we derive food and fiber, fuel and pharmaceuticals. Ecosystems mediate local and regional climates, stabilize soils, purify water, and in general provide a nearly endless list of services essential to life as we know it. To understand how to manage these services it is essential...

Human economies and ecosystems form a coupled system coevolving in time and space, since human economies use ecosystems services and at the same time affect ecosystems through their production and consumption activities. The study of the interactions between human economies and ecosystems is...