Paying the forest for electricity: a modelling framework to market forest conservation as payment for ecosystem services benefiting hydropower generation

Arias, Mauricio E.; Cochrane, Thomas A.; Lawrence, Keith S.; Killeen, Timothy J.; Farrell, T.

doi:10.1017/s0376892911000464

Cited by 49 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…We excluded articles developing a conceptual framework, argument or model related to PES theory, practice or the targeting of payments [4,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]; focusing on analytical issues unrelated to effectiveness and equity, such as motivations to participate in PES [31][32][33]; and those that did not include a purposive analysis of case studies, such as summary articles in special issues, the above mentioned PES reviews, and articles with anecdotal evidence on PES implementation to illustrate a related argument [34][35][36][37].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Payments for ecosystem services in the tropics: a closer look at effectiveness and equity

Calvet-Mir

Corbera

Martin

et al. 2015

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

139

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We undertake a review of academic literature that examines the effectiveness and equity-related performance of PES initiatives targeting biodiversity conservation in tropical and sub-tropical countries. We investigate the key features of such analyses as regards their analytical and methodological approach and we identify emerging lessons from PES practice, leading to a new suggested research agenda. Our results indicate that analyses of PES effectiveness have to date focused on either ecosystem service provision or habitat proxies, with only half of them making explicit assessment of additionality and most describing that payments have been beneficial for land cover and biodiversity. Studies evaluating the impact of PES on livelihoods suggest more negative outcomes, with an uneven treatment of the procedural and distributive considerations of scheme design and payment distribution, and a large heterogeneity of evaluative frameworks. We propose an agenda for future PES research based on the emerging interest in assessing environmental outcomes more rigorously and documenting social impacts in a more comparative and contextually situated form.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Payments for ecosystem services in the tropics: a closer look at effectiveness and equity

Calvet-Mir

Corbera

Martin

et al. 2015

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

139

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Furthermore, hydropeaking may result in large changes in water depth, flow velocity, wetted area, river channel morphology, and the quantity and composition of suspended matters and water temperature [53]. A considerable number of aquatic organisms, including drift of macroinvertebrates and stranding of fish and alternations of their habitat, would be affected [54].…”

Section: Hydro Peaking Impacts On Fish Capture Yieldsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Mainstream Hydropower Dams on Fisheries and Agriculture in Lower Mekong Basin

et al. 2020

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The riverine ecosystems of the Mekong River Basin possess the world’s most productive inland fishery and provide highly productive food crops for millions of people annually. The development of hydropower potential in the Mekong River has long been of interest to governments in the region. Among the existing 64 dams, 46 dams have been built in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) to produce up to 8650 MW of electricity. Additionally, of the 123 proposed built hydropower dams, eleven hydropower plants have been nominated for the river mainstream and are expected to install a total of 13,000 MW in the LMB countries. However, serious concerns have intensified over the potential negative economic consequences, especially on fisheries and agriculture in Cambodia and Vietnam. To date, most of the concerns have concentrated on the impacts on hydrology, environment, livelihood, and diversity in the LMB attributed to hydropower development. This paper, however, discusses the fishery and agricultural sectors of the LMB and focuses on the downstream floodplains of Cambodia and Vietnam. The dam construction has caused greater losses of biodiversity and fisheries than climate change in the LMB. The reduction of 276,847 and 178,169 t of fish, 3.7% and 2.3% of rice, 21.0% and 10.0% of maize will contribute to a decrease of 3.7% and 0.3% of the GDP of Cambodia and Vietnam, respectively. Lao PDR may benefit the most revenue from electricity generation than the other country in the LMB, as most of the proposed dams are projected in the country. Cambodia burdens 3/4 of the reduction of total capture fishery destruction, whilst Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam endure the remaining 1/3 losses. The tradeoff analyses reveal that losses of capture fisheries, sediment or nutrients, and social mitigation costs are greater than the benefits from electricity generation, improved irrigation, and flood control of the LMB region. The socioeconomic and environmental damage caused by hydropower dams in developing countries, including the Mekong, is greater than the early costs in North America and Europe. It is proposed that dam construction for hydropower in the Mekong River, as well as other rivers in developing countries, should be gradually removed and shifted toward solar, wind, and other renewable resources.

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“…The use of SWAT in Cambodia is mostly related to hydropower. Arias et al [81] evaluated the amount of suspended sediment affected by two different land use management scenarios (forest conservation and deforestation) and corresponding impacts on hydropower operation in the Pursat 1 watershed. The results show the forest conservation scenario reduced suspended sediment flows into the reservoir, and thus improved the lifespan of the dam and associated hydropower generation.…”

Section: Swat Studies On Hydropowermentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of SWAT Studies in Southeast Asia: Applications, Challenges and Future Directions

Tan

Gassman

Srinivasan

et al. 2019

Water

112

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The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is recognized as one of the top hydrological models applied for addressing hydrologic and environmental issues. This is the first review on the SWAT model studies in Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on its applications, current challenges and future research directions. A total of 126 articles were identified since 2006; roughly 50% of these studies were conducted in Vietnam or Thailand. About 16% of the studies were performed at a transnational scale, which included Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam. Model capability assessment, land use, and climate change assessment are the main SWAT applications that have been reported for the region. Most of the SWAT calibration and validation results for these studies were classified as satisfactory to very good results based on widely recognized performance indicators. However, the parameterization, calibration and validation procedures are not well reported in some articles. Availability of reliable data is one of the main problems that SWAT users are confronted with, as these data are either not freely available or restricted from public access in some countries. Hence, future studies should be considered on identification and development of reliable input data for SWAT modeling. SWAT model modification based on the SEA climate, geographical and land use conditions is another research direction to be considered in the future. Moreover, application of SWAT for extreme events simulation requires more attention in this region.

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Paying the forest for electricity: a modelling framework to market forest conservation as payment for ecosystem services benefiting hydropower generation

Cited by 49 publications

References 26 publications

Payments for ecosystem services in the tropics: a closer look at effectiveness and equity

Payments for ecosystem services in the tropics: a closer look at effectiveness and equity

Impacts of Mainstream Hydropower Dams on Fisheries and Agriculture in Lower Mekong Basin

A Review of SWAT Studies in Southeast Asia: Applications, Challenges and Future Directions

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