New Study: US$8.17 Billion Spent in 2011 to Safeguard Drinking Water and Regional Supplies by Protecting Watersheds—$2 Billion Above 2008 Levels

China leads in watershed investments, as globally, protecting natural lands emerges as cost-effective solution to municipal water woes

WASHINGTON, D.C. (17 January, 2013)—The number of initiatives that protect and restore forests, wetlands, and other water-rich ecosystems has nearly doubled in just four years as governments urgently seek sustainable alternatives to costly industrial infrastructure, according to a new report from Forest Trends’ Ecosystem Marketplace.

“Whether you need to save water-starved China from economic ruin or protect drinking water for New York City, investing in natural resources is emerging as the most cost-efficient and effective way to secure clean water and recharge our dangerously depleted streams and aquifers,” said Michael Jenkins, Forest Trends President and CEO. “80 percent of the world is now facing significant threats to water security. We are witnessing the early stages of a global response that could transform the way we value and manage the world’s watersheds.”

The report, State of Watershed Payments 2012, is the second installment of the most comprehensive inventory to date of initiatives around the world that are paying individuals and communities to revive or preserve water-friendly features of the landscape. Such features include wetlands, streams, and forests that can capture, filter, and store freshwater.

MATERIALS

Press Release	Executive Summary	Full Report
English ^{[PDF, 57 KB]} Spanish ^{[PDF, 76 KB]} Chinese^{[PDF, 163 KB]}	State of Watershed Payments Executive Summary - En Español - 执行摘要 (Chinese)	State of Watershed Payments Full Report

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

Infographic “Sample IWS Project”

Map: “Global Transactions by Country, 2011”

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 24, 2013
4:00 pm

Live Report Launch Event in Washington, DC
1818 H Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20433
Room #: MC 13-121

Panelists:
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Minister of Environment, Peru (invited)
Jaime Cavelier, Senior Biodiversity Specialist, Natural Resources, Global Environment Facility
Stephen Petron, VP & Director of Natural Resources, CH2M Hill
Peter Dewees, Forests Adviser for the World Bank and Manager of the Program on Forests
Marta Echavarria, EcoDecisión and Forest Trends

For more information, please contact Anne Thiel athiel@forest-trends.org

February 20, 2013
Time TBD

Webinar about the Report

- More Information Coming Soon

May 14-16, 2013
Time TBD

Katoomba Meeting XVIII “Forests, Water, and People”

- Concept Note

- More Information Coming Soon