Forest conservation on a budget: Redesigning payments for ecosystem services in Mexico to increase cost-effectiveness
Mexico’s government-financed forest protection program, Pago por Servicios Ambientales (PSA), is one of the largest Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs worldwide. Implemented nationally by the forestry commission (CONAFOR), PSA aims to reduce Mexico‚Äôs pervasive deforestation to mitigate climate change and generate other environmental benefits (e.g., water, biodiversity) by providing annual payments conditional on maintaining forest cover. Many studies find that PSA is effective at reducing deforestation and rural poverty.
