Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and REDD - Latin America in the lead

This fall, professionals in PES and REDD are headed south. From across the globe practitioners and policymakers in environmental markets are booking flights to Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Bolivia, and Mexico to discuss the future of our world's ecosystems. In several cases, this is the first time that Latin America is serving as host to these international conferences on environmental markets. With a strengthening regional economy and four out of five of the world's most bio-diverse countries, Latin America is becoming a major player in REDD and PES.

The season opens on October 6th with the inaugural Carbon Markets Mexico and Central America conference and exhibition. Key players from the LAC region will convene with global industry experts to learn about the latest market developments and do business with CER buyers. The conference features a session on the Voluntary Carbon Market and Forestry, followed by a Forestry and REDD Opportunities Seminar (Oct 8th).

The next stop is Buenos Aires for the 13th World Forestry Congress, "Forests in development - A vital balance". This event overviews the state of forests and forestry in order to discern trends, adapt policies, and raise awareness - over the course of the week at least five sessions on deforestation, REDD, and PES will be presented.

A couple weeks later, the WILD 9 international environmental forum makes its Latin American debut in Merida, Mexico on November 6th. The congress will devote an entire day to discuss financial mechanisms for wilderness and biodiversity conservation, including a session focused exclusively on PES.

On the week of November 9th - conferences will be held in Santa Marta Colombia, and La Paz, Bolivia. Colombia offers the 11th RedLAC Assembly: an opportunity for environmental funds, financial institutions, enterprises and conservation actors to exchange experiences on the valuation of environmental services and their role in biodiversity conservation. Over the same week, La Paz will be the scene of the First Conference of Latin American Ecosystem Service Networks. The networks have an ambitious schedule of offering capacity-building on REDD and PES to Bolivian government and policymakers, creating policy briefs on PES-related issues in Latin America, and documenting a strategic plan for the PES network team in Latin America.

During the same week, CATIE and CIFOR will present the International Course on Adaptation to Climate Change: The Role of Ecosystem Services. The module will take place in Turrialba, Costa Rica and cover the basic theories and practices surrounding the role of ecosystem services in climate change adaptation. Scholarships are available.

Here is a review of upcoming events:

October 6th to 7th: Carbon Markets Mexico and Central America: Mexico City, Mexico
October 18th to 23rd: World Forestry Congress XIII: Buenos Aries, Argentina
November 6th to 13th: World Wilderness Congress, WILD 9: Merida, Mexico
November 9th to 12th: RedLAC Assembly: Santa Marta, Colombia
November 9th to 13th: First Conference for Latin American Ecosystem Service Networks: La Paz, Bolivia
November 9th to 13th: International Course on Adaptation to Climate Change: The Role of Ecosystem Services: Turrialba, Costa Rica

Before making reservations, be sure to check out the recent publication of SinergiA - a collaboration between five Latin American PES networks. The newsletter contains perspectives on environmental markets in the region as well as links to the upcoming events. This edition of SinergiA focuses on co-benefits of REDD, and offers opinions, tools, projects, publications, and events related to PES and REDD in Latin America. SinergiA is available in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

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Issued by:  Eko-Eco

Author: Tommie Herbert and Hannah Murray

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Issue date: August 26, 2009

Link to Article: Origin of text