When could payments for environmental services benefit the poor?

• DOI: 10.1017/s1355770x08004294
• Publication Date: 2008-05-06T13:13:36Z
• Authors: DAVID ZILBERMAN; LESLIE LIPPER; NANCY MCCARTHY
• Keywords: Externality; Environmental Quality; Agricultural land

ABSTRACT Since modification of agricultural production choices in developing countries often provides positive environmental externalities to people developed countries, payment for services (PES) has become an important topic the context economic development and poverty reduction. We consider two broad categories PES programs, land-diversion where lands are diverted from agriculture other uses, working-land activities modified achieve objectives. programs generally good landowners. The distribution land quality is critical determining impacts. Where ES productivity negatively correlated poor own low quality, they stand gain programs. Consumers wage laborers may lose food supply inelastic reduce labor demand. Working-land have better distributional effects than diversion