This guide aims to provide practical tools to non specialists essentially water resources planners, river basin managers, non-governmental organizations and private sector operators. It links the most recent practice on payments for hydrological services to current discourse on integrated water resources management and looks into the different aspects to consider when exploring the potential feasibility of establishing reward or payments for ecosystem services related to water security. Pay demystifies concepts and jargon, and through a series of tools, case studies and stories from around the world, describes pitfalls to avoid and provides hints to fill gaps in knowledge. It is based on a demand-driven approach, linking text, tools and illustrations to key questions emerging from current and potential practitioners.
Includes bibliographic references and a glossary. The Arabic translation of this publication was made possible in part by funding from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment in Jordan and released in 2010 on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Earth Charter for North Africa and Middle East Region.