Pagamentos por serviços ambientais sob uma ótica econômico-ecológica e institucionalista : reconciliando teoria e prática

Abstract

Society depends directly and indirectly on the functioning of ecosystems. Historically, however, the economic production has evolved towards the depletion of natural resources to promote economic growth as a means of ensuring greater material affluence and the wellbeing of people. To mediate the trade-off between economic growth and environmental preservation various environmental policy instruments have been developed, whether in the form of command and control (direct regulation) or economic incentives (market mechanisms). Within the latter category are the mechanisms of Payment for Environmental Services (PES), which despite its recent popularity, are increasingly being asked about the adequacy of its theoretical and conceptual basis vis-à-vis the concrete dynamics of existing experience in national and international contexts. Faced with this problem, this master thesis presents a qualitative research and case studies which aim to contribute to the debate on the development of new conceptual approaches capable of reconciling theory and practice of PES. The discussion developed on the hypothesis that the approaches of Ecological Economics and Institutional Economics are useful and necessary to expand the concept of PES, since the same permit incorporate different environmental, social and economic contexts, and seek to deal with the effects of efficiency and equity. It was concluded that it is possible to broaden and strengthen the concept of PES with joint contributions of these approaches from hybrid contexts of environmental policy ( policy mixes ) where the explicit goal is the sustainable rural development in its ecological, social and economic dimensions.