Exploring the economic discourse on market-based instruments for ecosystem services.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the market-based instruments applied to ecosystem services, along with their potentials and risks as regards sustainability requirements. It seems necessary beforehand to take another look at the different interpretations of the ecosystem services concept within the economics field, in order to more effectively analyse its politicization through the promotion of market-based instruments generally assimilated to payments for environmental services systems (Pagiola et al., 2004; Wunder 2005). The merits and limitations of such assimilation are discussed taking the case of environmental certification systems.