Payments for Environmental Services in South Africa Mira Inbar Forest Trends Nicola King CSIR, Division of Water, Environment and Forest Technology

Status of PES activity in RSA PES is on the agenda Planning and design –Limited implementation Focus primarily on water and carbon with emerging interest in biodiversity Mixed focus on private and public deals –Public: the working for water initiatives –Private: projects in planning

Opportunities for PES in RSA Mapping areas of risk and opportunity Potential Buyers: –Developing the business case for the private sector –Awareness and value added High value environmental services: –Watershed services (limitations of Water Act)

Gaps for PES in RSA Good science (water) but some gaps (biodiversity), Building the business case, Understanding the costs and benefits of options, Identifying and linking buyers and sellers, Monitoring and evaluation Action learning

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