Valuing Ecosystem Services in the Lower Mekong Basin: Country Report for Lao PDR

  • Ecological services
  • Ecosystems
  • Environment and natural resources policy and administration

This report begins with a description of what ecosystem services are and how they can be categorized. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is the most ubiquitous and comprehensive categorization of ecosystem services, which fall into four broad categories: provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural (MEA 2005). The case study also touches on four valuation techniques—avoided cost, replacement cost, market prices, and market substitutes. There are several more. After reviewing categories and examples, the report discusses each major valuation technique in detail. The report then highlights several policy venues in Lao PDR where ecosystem service valuation can play a role, such as pending decisions to approve several new large dams on the Mekong main-stem which jeopardize a range of ecosystem services associated with fisheries and wetlands.

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Valuing Ecosystem Services in the Lower Mekong Basin: Country Report for Lao PDR

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Metadata

Document type

Reports, journal articles, and research papers (including theses and dissertations)

Publication date

2015

Publisher

USAID

Access and use constraints

© USAID Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change Project

Copyright

Yes

License

unspecified

Author (individual)

John Talberth

Language

English

Date modified

13 Feb 2018