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12/11/2026
Payments for Ecosystem Services: An Emerging Tool to Strengthen Sustainable Land Management
The event “Payments for Ecosystem Services: Where Are We and How Can We Move Forward?”, held on 28 October in Barcelona, presented the main findings of a study that analyses international experiences and proposes guidelines to promote these mechanisms in Catalonia. Organised within the framework of the Life eCOadapt50 project, the event served to present the study “Payments for Ecosystem Services. State of the Art, Areas of Application and Mechanisms for International Implementation”, funded by the Catalan Climate Fund, as well as a policy guidance document for their development in Catalonia.

A moment from the event. Author: ARCA

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are instruments that financially reward individuals or organisations that manage land in ways that generate environmental benefits for society as a whole, such as biodiversity conservation, improved water quality, carbon sequestration and reduced wildfire risk.

The study, prepared by the Metrópoli Institute, analysed 46 experiences from around the world related to agricultural, forest, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The findings show that there is no single PES model and that its effectiveness depends on adapting the approach to the ecological, social and institutional context of each territory.

Among its key recommendations, the study highlights the need to ensure the financial stability of programmes, link payments to verifiable practices or outcomes, and encourage the active participation of local stakeholders in their design and implementation. It also stresses that PES schemes should complement, rather than replace, other public policies for conservation and land management.

The research highlights the role these mechanisms can play in recognising the environmental benefits already generated by sustainable agricultural, forestry and fisheries activities, while helping to strengthen territorial resilience to the impacts of climate change.

This work represents a first step towards exploring the potential of PES in Catalonia and forms part of the actions promoted by Life eCOadapt50 to support climate adaptation in the agricultural, livestock, forestry, fisheries and tourism sectors.

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