UDTR Global Rights of Nature Radar

Developing markets for forest environmental services: an opportunity for promoting equity while securing efficiency?

Identification

Public canonical key

doi:10.1098/rsta.2002.1034

Authors

Natasha Landell-Mills

Reported year

2002

Reported language

en

Source type

article

First detected

2026-11-09T19:12:00.544458+00:00

Last metadata observation

2026-11-09T19:12:00.544458+00:00

Last HTTP verification

Not checked

Institutions reported by the source

International Institute for Environment and Development

Documentary abstract — original language

Market-based approaches to environmental management are all the rage. Claims that market mechanisms can encourage environmental protection and promote greater economic efficiency while saving taxpayers' money are tantalizing. In the forestry sector, policy makers are widely heeding this advice and shrinking command-and-control systems in favour of incentive mechanisms that seek to align private enthusiasm with the public good. In some cases, governments are even promoting the creation of markets where none existed before. In others, markets are evolving of their own accord. In such times of change, it is difficult to stand back and take stock. Yet, it is during such times that guidance is most needed. In the rush to introduce market-based solutions to environmental problems, a particular concern is how markets are impacting on the poor. In this paper an effort is made to draw on a recent review of markets for four forest environmental services (biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, watershed protection and landscape beauty) to draw out preliminary insights into how markets are performing with respect to their impacts on the poor. The evidence suggests a need for caution. While the potential benefits are significant, the poor face an uphill battle in realizing them. Key constraints facing the poor include a lack of property rights over forest resources and their environmental services; inadequate skills and education; poor market information; lack of market contacts; inadequate communication infrastructure; inappropriate contract design; and lack of access to financial resources. To tackle these, four potential ways forward are highlighted: (1) assign property rights to forest assets and their related environmental services in ways that respect customary arrangements and poor people's tenure; (2) strengthen capacity for market participation, e.g. through training and education; (3) invest in the provision of market information, advice and, essentially, a contact point for buyers and sellers, perhaps through the establishment of a 'market support centre'; and (4) improve access to finance so that poor individuals can make necessary up-front investments in market participation.

Identifiers

OPENALEX

W2015847320

DOI

10.1098/rsta.2002.1034

Documentary context

Documentary family

Scholarship

Source-reported types

article

Natural entities mentioned

Forest · Watershed · Landscape

Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.

Sources

OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2002.1034
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W2015847320

Documented bibliographic relations

Source-declared references and links; they do not establish legal support or UGLC qualification. Up to 20 outgoing references are displayed.

• openalex:w915666225 · CITES

1 incoming references within the detected corpus

Documentary status

Relevance pending

Library

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