Improving payments for ecosystem services (PES) outcomes through the use of Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) and the software OPTamos

The Earth’s ecosystems provide society with basic goods and services, but this ecosystem provision of benefits is constantly under threat by anthropogenic pressures, mainly related to land use changes. A solution proposed to address these issues is the implementation of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes. However, such schemes have received strong criticism, which suggests that there is a need for improvement. The paper discusses the implementation during the early planning and design stages of PES schemes of a combination of public participation together with Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) methods, supporting the process with the use of the software tool OPTamos. The tool allows structuring the complex information generated with different methods during stakeholder processes. Based on previous studies and experiences, we propose an integrated approach with the participative methods and decision-support tool for PES schemes, aiming to enhance the positive outcomes and to overcome some of the limitations described in the literature.