Payments for Environmental Services (PES) and practices of sustainable agriculture: contributions from Behavior Analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to know the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) principles and its implementation in practice, based on a behavior-analytic interpretation of a PES experience in the State of São Paulo, region of Ribeirão Preto. PES program is a strategy used since the 1990s to give financial incentives for farmers to provide environmental services. PES is a tool to fund actions of restoration at deforested areas, recognize low-impact practices already performed, and promote the adoption of sustainable practices. The arguments that support environmental gains provided by PES are recognized, but the effectiveness of financial incentives to promote behavior change and its maintenance for long term is questionable.

Keywords

• Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais
• Políticas Públicas
• Agricultura
• Desenvolvimento Sustentável
• Análise do Comportamento