When upland environments become degraded, then the
quality and supply of water to downstream users (such as
industries, agriculture, hydropower and city dwellers)
suffers. However, at present, there is very little recognition
of these ecosystem water values among economic and
financial planners, and there are few financial or economic
incentives for the people who occupy and manage lands
and resources in upstream areas to conserve ecosystems
for downstream water benefits.
We have been working with the World Bank in Mongolia to
assess the value of the Upper Tuul catchment for water
supplies to Ulaanbataar (the capital city), and to work on
the development of markets for watershed services to
generate payments from downstream water users to
reward upstream land and resource users for conserving
ecosystems.
quality and supply of water to downstream users (such as
industries, agriculture, hydropower and city dwellers)
suffers. However, at present, there is very little recognition
of these ecosystem water values among economic and
financial planners, and there are few financial or economic
incentives for the people who occupy and manage lands
and resources in upstream areas to conserve ecosystems
for downstream water benefits.
We have been working with the World Bank in Mongolia to
assess the value of the Upper Tuul catchment for water
supplies to Ulaanbataar (the capital city), and to work on
the development of markets for watershed services to
generate payments from downstream water users to
reward upstream land and resource users for conserving
ecosystems.
| markets for watershed services in Mongolia |
 |  |
© Environment Management Group 2012
