Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2020): NOVEMBER

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The politics of numbers and additionality governing the national Payment for Forest Environmental Services scheme in Vietnam: A case study from Son La province

https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v4i2.10891
Pham Thu Thuy
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2096-8911
Ngo Ha Chau
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
Dao Thi Linh Chi
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
Hoang Tuan Long
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8416-5034
Micah R. Fisher
Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Program, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8246-2318

Corresponding Author(s) : Pham Thu Thuy

[email protected]

Forest and Society, Vol. 4 No. 2 (2020): NOVEMBER

Abstract

Payments for forest environmental services (PFES) is a major breakthrough policy in the Vietnamese forestry sector because it contributes 25% of the total investments in the forestry sector and serves as the first market-based instrument employed to protect forests. However, there is little empirical evidence of its effectiveness. Is the policy meeting the core objectives of improving forest cover and forest quality and is it also achieving its claims of supporting local livelihoods? This paper analyses the environmental, social, and economic impacts of PFES in Son La province, the longest standing implementation of a PFES scheme in Vietnam. Our study uses a sampling method that incorporates pre-matching and a before-after-control-intervention approach. Data was collected from government statistics, remote sensing analysis, focus group discussions involving 236 people, surveys with a total of 240 households, and key informant interviews with 45 people. Our findings show that additionality of PFES in Son La is controversial and depends on who collects the data and what data is used to evaluate the impacts of PFES. Data collection is also politicized to serve central, provincial and district government interests. Evidence shows that PFES has provided little additional income to individual villagers to protect forests in Son La. However, total PFES revenue paid to communities generates significant income for village communities. Moreover, not all villagers can receive continuous payments from PFES, meaning that PFES has not become a stable source of income, rendering the permanence of PFES limited. Improving monitoring and evaluation policies coupled with transparent, inclusive, independent mechanisms are essential to providing a more accurate reflection of impacts from PFES in Vietnam.

Keywords

Payment for forest environmental services Vietnam impact assessment Son La
Thuy, P. T., Chau, N. H., Chi, D. T. L., Long, H. T., & Fisher, M. R. (2020). The politics of numbers and additionality governing the national Payment for Forest Environmental Services scheme in Vietnam: A case study from Son La province. Forest and Society, 4(2), 379-404. https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v4i2.10891
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. Alonso, W. & Starr P. (1987). The politics of numbers. Russell Sage Foundation.
  2. Angelsen, A. (2017). REDD+ as result‐based aid: General lessons and bilateral agreements of Norway. Review of Development Economics, 21(2), 237-264. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12271
  3. Bennett, K. (2010). Additionality: The next steps for ecosystem service markets. Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum 20, 417-438.
  4. Bos, A. B. (2020). Richting een verbeterde evaluatie van subnationale initiatieven die tropische ontbossing verminderen. Geo-Info, 17(2), 40-41.
  5. Bottazzi, P., Wiik, E., Crespo, D., & Jones, J. P. (2018). Payment for environmental “self-service”: Exploring the links between Farmers' motivation and additionality in a conservation incentive programme in the Bolivian Andes. Ecological Economics 150, 11-23. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.03.032
  6. Brockhaus, M., & Angelsen, A. (2012). Seeing REDD+ through 4Is: a political economy framework. Analysing REDD+: challenges and choices. Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia, 15-30.
  7. De Sy, V., Herold, M., Brockhaus, M., Di Gregorio, M., & Ochieng, R. M. (2018). Information and policy change: Data on drivers can drive change–if used wisely. In Transforming REDD+, 55-66. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).
  8. Desrosières, A. (2010). La politique des grands nombres. Historie de la raison statistique. Paris: La Découverte.
  9. Dung Minh. (2018). Planting fruit trees in Chieng Khua village. Translated from Trồng cây ăn quả ở xã Chiềng Khừa. Nhan Dan Online Newspaper. https://nhandan.com.vn/tin-tuc-kinh-te/trong-cay-an-qua-o-xa-chieng-khua-318536/.
  10. Duong, N. T. & de Groot, W. T. (2018). Distributional risk in PFES: Exploring the concept in the Payment for Environmental Forest Services program, Vietnam. Forest Policy and Economics, 92, 22-32. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2018.03.008
  11. Duong, N. T. & de Groot, W. T. (2020). The impact of payment for forest environmental services (PFES) on community-level forest management in Vietnam. Forest Policy and Economics, 113, 102135. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2020.102135
  12. Eichelberger, L. (2012). sustainability and the politics of calculation: Technologies of 'safe water,' subject-making, and domination. Journal of Political Ecology, 19(1): 145-161.
  13. Engel, S. (2016). The devil in the detail: a practical guide on designing payments for environmental services. International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, 9(1-2), 131-177. doi: https://doi.org/10.1561/101.00000076
  14. Gupta, A., Lövbrand, E., Turnhout, E., & Vijge, M. J. (2012). In pursuit of carbon accountability: the politics of REDD+ measuring, reporting and verification systems. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 4(6), 726-731. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2012.10.004
  15. Gupta, A., Vijge, M. J., Turnhout, E., & Pistorius, T. (2014). Making REDD+ transparent: the politics of measuring, reporting and verification systems. In Transparency in global environmental governance: critical perspectives (pp. 181-20).
  16. Hansen, M. C., P. V. Potapov, R. Moore, M. Hancher, S. A. Turubanova, A. Tyukavina, D. Thau, S. V. Stehman, S. J. Goetz, T. R. Loveland, A. Kommareddy, A. Egorov, L. Chini, C. O. Justice, and J. R. G. Townshend. (2016). “High-Resolution Global Maps of 21st-Century Forest Cover Change.” Science 342 (15 November): 850–53. Data available on-line from: http://earthenginepartners.appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest.
  17. Hasan, S. S., Zhang, Y., Chu, X., & Teng, Y. (2019). The role of big data in China’s sustainable forest management. Forestry Economics Review.
  18. Jebiwott, A. (2016). Forest cover change and ecosystem services of Katimok forest reserve, Baringo County, Kenya (Doctoral dissertation). Kenya: Egerton University.
  19. Karsenty, A., Aubert, S., Brimont, L., Dutilly, C., Desbureaux, S., Ezzine de Blas, D., & Le Velly, G. (2017). The economic and legal sides of additionality in payments for environmental services. Environmental Policy and Governance, 27(5), 422-435. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.1770
  20. Le Velly, G., & Dutilly, C. (2016). Evaluating payments for environmental services: Methodological challenges. PLOS One, 11(2), e0149374. doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149374
  21. Mcgregor, Ja. (2007). Researching human well‐being: from concepts to methodology. In Gough I & Mcgregor J (Eds), Well‐being in developing countries: new approaches and research strategies (pp. 316– 350). Cambridge University Press.
  22. Mohebalian, P. M., & Aguilar, F. X. (2016). Additionality and design of forest conservation programs: Insights from Ecuador's Socio Bosque Program. Forest Policy and Economics, 71, 103-114. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2015.08.002
  23. Mùi Sơn & Minh Hải. (2019). Moc Chau - Son La: Lam forest blatantly destroyed Chieng Khua forest. Translated from Mộc Châu - Sơn La: Lâm tặc ngang nhiên tàn phá rừng Chiềng Khừa. Kien Thuc Online Newspaper. https://kienthuc.net.vn/xa-hoi/moc-chau-son-la-lam-tac-ngang-nhien-tan-pha-rung-chieng-khua-1209627.html.
  24. Naeem, S., Ingram, J. C., Varga, A., Agardy, T., Barten, P., Bennett, G., Bloomgarden, E., Bremer, L.L., Burkill, P., Cattau, M., Ching, C., Colby†, M., Cook, D.C., Costanza, R., DeClerck, F., Freund, C., Gartner, T., Goldman-Benner, R., Gunderson, J., Jarrett, D., Kinzig, A.P, Kiss, A., Koontz, A., Kumar, P., Lasky, J.R., Masozera, M., Meyers, D., Milano, F., Naughton-Treves, L., Nichols, E., Olander, L., Olmsted, P., Perge, E., Perrings, C., Polasky, S., Potent, J., Prager, C., Quétier, F., Redford, K., Saterson†, K., Thoumi, G., Vargas, M.T., Vickerman, S., Weisser, W., Wilkie, D., Wunder, S. (2015). Get the science right when paying for nature's services. Science, 347(6227), 1206-1207. doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa1403
  25. Pagiola, S., Carrascosa von Glehn, H., & Taffarello, D. (2013). Brazil's experience with payments for environmental services. São Paulo: SMA/CBRN, 274.
  26. People's Committee of Chieng Khua Commune. (2018). Reports on socioeconomic context in Chieng Khua Commune. Retrieved from People's Committee of Chieng Khua Commune.
  27. People's Committee of Dong Sang Commune. (2018). Reports on socioeconomic context in Dong Sang Commune. Retrieved from People's Committee of Dong Sang Commune.
  28. People's Committee of Moc Chau District. (2018). Reports on socioeconomic context in Moc Chau District. Retrieved from People's Committee of Moc Chau District.
  29. People's Committee of Muong Sang Commune. (2018). Reports on socioeconomic context in Muong Sang Commune. Retrieved from People's Committee of Muong Sang Commune.
  30. Pham, T.T., Bennett, K., Vu, T. P., Brunner, J., Le Ngoc, D., & Nguyen, D. T. (2013). Payments for forest environmental services in Vietnam: from policy to practice. CIFOR Occasional Paper, (93).
  31. Pham, T.T., Loft, L., Bennett, K., Phuong, V. T., & Brunner, J. (2015). Monitoring and evaluation of Payment for Forest Environmental Services in Vietnam: From myth to reality. Ecosystem services, 16, 220-229. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2015.10.016
  32. Pham, T.T., Moeliono, M., Wong, G. Y., & Brockhaus, M. (2018). The politics of swidden: A case study from Nghe An and Son La in Vietnam. Land Use Policy. Rosa da Conceição, H., Börner, J., & Wunder, S. (2018). REDD+ as a public policy dilemma: understanding conflict and cooperation in the design of conservation incentives. Forests, 9(11), 725. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.057
  33. Phạm, T.T., Đào, T.L.C., Hoàng, T.L., Nguyễn, Đ.T., Lê, M.T., Nông, H.H. và Đặng, T.N. 2018. Tác động của chi trả dịch vụ môi trường rừng (PFES) tại Sơn La, Việt Nam. Nghiên cứu chuyên đề 188. Bogor, Indonesia: CIFOR.
  34. Rose, N. (1991). Governing by Numbers: Figuring Out Democracy. Accounting, Organizations and Societyˆ, 16(7): 673-692.
  35. Sills E, Wendland KJ, Pattanayak SK, Cassingham K and Alger K. 2006. Watershed protection by forests: Vital ecosystem service or smoke and mirrors? Presentation, 3rd Chilean Congress of Forest Sciences, Concepcion, Chile
  36. Son Ha. (2019). Moc Chau (Son La): Illegal loggers raging, forest rangers powerless? Kinh Te Nong Thon Online Newspaper https://kinhtenongthon.vn/moc-chau-son-la-lam-tac-hoanh-hanh-kiem-lam-bat-luc-post26594.html.
  37. Son La Forest Protection and Development Fund. (2018). 10 years report on PFES implementation in Son La. Son La Forest Protection and Development Fund, Son La, Vietnam.
  38. Son La Forest Protection Department (2018). Reports on annual forest change for 2018. Retrieved from Son La Forest Protection Department.
  39. Son La Forest Protection Department (2019). Forest cover dataset. http://www.kiemlam.org.vn/Desktop.aspx/List/So-lieu-dien-bien-rung-hang-nam/NAM_2019/.
  40. Son La Statistic Department. (2016). Annual report on Son La Development. Son La, Vietnam.
  41. Son La Statistics Department. (2018). Statistical Yearbook of Son La. Retrieved from Son La Statistics Department.
  42. Sunderlin, W. D., Larson, A. M., Duchelle, A. E., Sills, E. O., Luttrell, C., Jagger, P., ... & Aryani, R. (2016). Technical guidelines for research on REDD+ subnational initiatives. CIFOR.
  43. Trædal, L. T., & Vedeld, P. O. (2017). Livelihoods and land uses in environmental policy approaches: The case of PFES and REDD+ in the Lam dong province of Vietnam. Forests, 8(2), 39. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/f8020039
  44. Tran, T. T. H., Zeller, M., & Suhardiman, D. (2016). Payments for ecosystem services in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam: An institutional analysis. Ecosystem Services, 22, 83-93. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2016.10.001
  45. Vedel, S. E., Jacobsen, J. B., & Thorsen, B. J. (2015). Forest owners' willingness to accept contracts for ecosystem service provision is sensitive to additionality. Ecological Economics, 113, 15-24. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.02.014
  46. Vietnam Administration of Forestry. (2013). News bulletin November 8, 2013. http://tongcuclamnghiep.gov.vn/LamNghiep/Index/diem-tin-ngay-08112013-1410.
  47. Wang, B., Niu, X., & Wei, W. (2020). National Forest Ecosystem Inventory System of China: Methodology and Applications. Forests, 11(7), 732. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/f11070732
  48. Wichelns, D., Milan, F., Hoanh, C. T., & Phuong, N. D. (2016). Household opportunity costs of protecting and developing forest lands in Son La and Hoa Binh Provinces, Vietnam. International Journal of the Commons, 10(2), 902–928. doi: http://doi.org/10.18352/ijc.620
  49. Wunder, S, Ibarra, E and Bui, D.T. 2005. Payment is Good but Control is Better: Why Payments for Forest Environmental Services in Vietnam Have so far Remained Incipient. Bogor, Indonesia: Center for International Forestry Research
  50. Wunder, S. 2005. Payments for environmental services: Some nuts and bolts. CIFOR occasional paper 42. Bogor, Indonesia: Center for International Forestry Research.
  51. Wunder, S. (2007). The efficiency of payments for environmental services in tropical conservation. Conservation Biology, 21(1), 48-58. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00559.x
Read More

Author Biographies

Pham Thu Thuy, The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
Dr. Pham Thu Thuy obtained her first class of Honor on Environmental Management/Tropical Forestry in University of Queensland, Australia and received her PhD in Pro-poor Payments for Environmental Services from Charles Darwin University, Australia. Thuy is currently CIFOR Senior Scientist and Country Representative of CIFOR in Vietnam. At CIFOR her research has focused on political economy of forest governance and climate change policies. Thuy has also worked in the field of climate change policies, lower emission development strategy, payment for environmental services, reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation, poverty and environmental nexus, social safeguards, community based forest management and mainstreaming gender into national forestry policies. Before joining CIFOR, she has worked as a consultant for Asian Development Bank, World Agroforestry Center, Oxfam UK, The Stockholm Environment Institute, Forest Trends, and The University of Queensland.  
Micah R. Fisher, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Program, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Micah R. Fisher is also a faculty member at Universitas Hasanuddin, Forestry Faculty, where he serves as co-editor in chief of Forest and Society. His research interests revolve around issues of land, water, and disaster, specifically on governance applications of technology and its role in public engagement. He is currently conducting a large scale research and development project on the pedagogies of disaster, which involves developing a curriculum on flooding, climate change adaptation, and coastal community resilience with the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center and the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency. He also works with the World Bank Water Practice group on research and development of Integrated Urban Water Management and serves as a research associate at the Dala Institute.
Download this PDF file
PDF