Webinar #1 – Payments for ecosystem services

On 10 July 2025, the UNFF Secretariat launched the Clearing House webinar series on forest financing with its first session, focused on Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). The webinar explored how PES schemes can support forest finance across diverse policy, economic and social contexts.

The session was co-organised with CIFOR-ICRAF and Flinders University and brought together global expertise and country-level experience.

Opening and speakers

The webinar was opened by:

• Ms Juliette Biao, Director, UNFF Secretariat
• Ms Éliane Ubalijoro, Chief Executive Officer, CIFOR-ICRAF

The programme featured two global synthesis presentations, followed by four country case studies.

Key themes and discussions

Discussions highlighted Payments for Ecosystem Services as one of several effective approaches for mobilising resources for forests. Speakers emphasised that, because PES schemes operate in varied institutional and socio-economic contexts, they must remain adaptive and responsive.

Key topics included:

• How PES schemes are designed and implemented
• Roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders
• Evolving methodologies and financing models
• Success factors and enabling conditions
• Emerging global trends and measurable impacts

Country experiences from South Africa, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Europe illustrated how PES approaches are applied in practice, offering concrete lessons across different governance and financing environments.