Encouraging Private Sector Support for Biodiversity Conservation: the use of economic incentives and legal tools

This paper presents an introduction to economic incentives for the conservation of biodiversity. It is intended for use by government and private sector representatives who wish to design and implement policies that encourage private sector participation in conservation activities. Part II outlines the legal mechanisms that allow private actors to support conservation. Part III reviews the types of tax policies that can reward landowners for using these conservation mechanisms. Part IV discusses several other economic instruments, such as user fees and performance bonds, and also notes opportunities to eliminate "perverse" incentives that encourage destruction of biodiversity. Part V includes a list of recommendations intended to distill some of the ideas presented.