Science at UM [S03-ep18]: Evaluating payments for environmental services

[Podcast] - Published on March 7, 2024 in Science-Society

This week on A l’UM la science, we talk about REDD+, measures aimed at reducing deforestation. The action takes place in Brazil, and we are joined by Gabriela Demarchi, an economist at the Moisa laboratory. The report takes us to Baillarguet, on the roof of the Ecotron, with Damien Landais, head of the Macrocosme platform. The program is broadcast every Wednesday at 6 p.m. on Divergence-FM 93.9.

Forests cover 31% of the land on our planet. But what is a forest? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), forests are: "land areas of more than 0.5 hectares, with trees reaching a height of more than 5 meters and a forest cover of more than 10%." " Obviously, they are present on all continents and in both hemispheres, but also on the particularly successful cover of the latest issue of LUM, the University's science and society magazine, entitled on this occasion L'appel de la forêt (The Call of the Forest).

Throughout these pages, we invite you to join us on a journey to discover these incredible ecosystems. In the far north of Canada, in the lush mangroves of French Guiana, on the small islands of the Pacific, or here in mainland France, all forests have one thing in common: they are suffering, and in some cases, severely. Climate change, mega-fires, cyclones, droughts, and human exploitation are all contributing factors. Trees are suffering, as is the biodiversity they harbor. In this issue, we tell you about the iconic Pyrenean bear, wild boar, and even tiny ants. We also tell you about the Bakas, a people in Cameroon who are trying to survive between logging companies and nature reserves.

Between 1990 and 2020, deforestation alone caused the loss of 420 million hectares of forest, roughly seven times the size of France. This is a veritable green hemorrhage that international organizations are attempting to stem with tools such as the Green Climate Fund and the European Green Deal. One of these flagship programs is REDD+ for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.  

Gabriela Demarchi is an economist. After completing a thesis at CEE-M on the evaluation of REDD+ programs in Brazil, she is now continuing her research at the Moisa laboratory.

In the second part of the program, we head tothe Ecotron located on the Baillarguet site for a new series of reports. We start with the Macrocosmes platform, and Damien Landais, its manager, gives us a tour.

At UM Science, you have the program, so let's get started!

Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Reporting: Aline Périault, Lucie Lecherbonnier
Editing: Lucie Lecherbonnier

Listen to the program “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9

Keywords: Science at UM, Research, Science, Company