Public Environmental Conservation Policies Based on the Economic Instrument of Payment for Environmental Services: A Pioneer Experience in Mato Grosso Evaluated by its Actors

Abstract

Objective: To understand how the public policy for payment for environmental services in Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, Brazil, is evaluated by its actors in the period 2014-2019. Theoretical framework: The contribution brought by economic instruments to improving social well-being made them popular among successful environmental public policies by reducing the distortion between the economic and social values attributed to natural resources. Method: Study characterized as theoretical-empirical, descriptive, which uses a qualitative approach in the application of semi-structured interviews during the first quarter of 2019 followed by case study procedures of interpretative analysis. Results and conclusion: Indicate the existence of difficulties common to other national initiatives, operational advantage and institutional limitations. There is exploratory potential for the growth and development of public policy, however, due to the lack of specific federal legislation regarding environmental services and local technical limitations, its institutional arrangement needs improvement. Implications of the research: It presents the common difficulties of implementing public environmental policies using the economic instrument of payments for environmental services in Brazil. Originality/value: Given the global need for the State to provide water supply through the conservation of natural resources, this study collaborates with the Public Administration by understanding the difficulties experienced by the municipal public administration in the face of the unprecedented experience in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil .