The “Latin American Workshop on Environmental Services and Forest Governance” focused on facilitating a knowledge exchange and reflection on experiences with Payment for Environmental Services (PES).

The workshop provided the opportunity to learn about the risks and impacts of these activities and their potential application to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+). The event also discussed the importance of forests in confronting climate change and what participation in PES or REDD means for communities’ land tenure and carbon rights.

The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) co-organized the event with the RRI Partner" Intercooperation" with the additional collaboration of the Coordinating Association of Indigenous and Community Agroforestry in Central America (ACICAFOC)" the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)" and Forest Trends.

Participants included: María Teresa Becerra" responsible for environmental issues in the General Secretariat of the Andean Community as well as representatives of indigenous organizations" forest communities" and African descendents linked with the design and implementation of PES initiatives in Bolivia" Brazil" Colombia" Ecuador" Guatemala" Honduras" Mexico" Nicaragua" Panama and Peru.

Additional Resources

See the website for the event here. (Spanish only)

Read updates and listen to presentation from RRI Director of Country & Regional Programs" Deborah Barry from the event here. (Spanish only)