Major food companies, PES and combating deforestation. Using PES to achieve “zero deforestation” agriculture

Abstract

Version française de l'articleStrategies to tackle deforestation are evolving. Under pressure from environmental NGOs and consumers, the major food companies are voluntarily committing to apply the “zero deforestation” principle, especially for their production of the key agricultural commodities (palm oil, cocoa, soy, etc.), which are responsible for around 70% of deforestation throughout the world. This concept is nevertheless ambiguous and difficult to implement. Payments for environmental services (PES) can help to achieve these ambitions. PES geared towards individual investment would be proposed to producers to enable them to modify their practices; these would be financed by zero deforestation companies. In addition, collective PES for forest conservation at the local level would be proposed to communities; these would be partly financed by a broad-based, low-level fee.