European ecosystem service financing research

A master's thesis from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, investigates methods for integrating European Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) into European Union financial programs. The research addresses the limited implementation of PES in Europe despite the region's significant forest cover and long history of socio-ecological interactions.

By utilizing expert assessments and literature analysis, the study developed future scenarios to evaluate four integration strategies: business-as-usual, non-binding promotion, binding promotion, and an independent PES financing framework. The findings suggest that the most robust strategy is the non-binding expansion of existing financing sources, whereas establishing an independent PES financing framework remains difficult to implement despite potential advantages.