Market-based approaches to environmental services have become a focus of interest in recent years. In principle, such markets are an opportunity for people living in and around forests to enhance their livelihoods through not only economic benefits (rewards) but also through increased social and human capital (recognition).
Globally, implementation of payments for environmental services (PES) initiatives has been increasing in popularity. In Asia, there are many initiatives/emerging projects and research related to the development of markets of environmental services.
In 2002, the World Agroforestry Centre initiated a project of action research to Reward Upland Poor for the Environmental Services They Provide (RUPES). With six action research sites now underway in testing pro-poor rewards and reward mechanisms for environmental services, the RUPES project and its partners has been part of an ever-growing number of organisations interested in further exploring market mechanisms for increasing livelihoods of poor communities while at the same time maintaining environmental functions.
To move towards sharing all lessons learned and synthesis in environmental transfer benefit sharing, an opportunity is offered through a global event of payment for environmental services to be held on 22-27 January 2007 in Mataram, Lombok, Indonesia. The following programs are designed to meet the objectives of the event: