The Interview of the Month - Dr. Lina Moros

Dr. Lina Moros holding her latest work—a guide designed to help local communities develop Payments for Environmental Services projects.

The conservation of ecosystems is an urgent challenge in the context of climate change and the accelerated loss of biodiversity. Globally, various strategies have been implemented to mitigate these effects, and one of them is Payments for Environmental Services (PES). These mechanisms provide economic incentives to communities and local actors to protect ecosystems that offer essential services, such as water regulation, carbon capture, and biodiversity conservation. These incentives, which can be financial or in-kind, aim to acknowledge the importance of preserving and protecting natural resources. The guide is aimed at indigenous communities, community councils, peasant communities, grassroots organizations, tourism service providers, Community Action Boards, and government entities that view nature tourism as a conservation strategy.However, their implementation faces challenges such as lack of technical knowledge, limited coordination between stakeholders, and the need for tools that facilitate their application.

In Colombia, Uniandes professor Dr. Lina Moros has led a key initiative to strengthen PES by developing the Technical and Illustrated Guide for the Design of Payments for Environmental Services Projects in the category of Cultural, Spiritual, and Recreational Services (focused on tourism) (available to download here). This guide aims to support the formulation of Payments for Environmental Services in Colombia. Her academic work has been essential in generating knowledge and connecting academia, communities, and public policy to ensure the conservation of vital ecosystems.

Dr. Lina Moros is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Management at Universidad de los Andes and has led the faculty’s sustainability area for the past two years. A graduate in Business Administration from the same university, she holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Universidad de los Andes, a Master’s in Social Policy Research from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Technologies from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Her research focuses on behavioral change towards sustainability, with a particular emphasis on PES and the application of behavioral sciences to conservation. Through her work, she has influenced the formulation of sustainability strategies and actively collaborated with governmental and international entities to strengthen PES implementation in the country.

In this interview, we explore how academia can generate real impact in communities and public policy, addressing conservation challenges and promoting innovative solutions that integrate science, territorial management, and sustainable development.

One of your main research topics is Payments for Environmental Services (PES). Could you explain what they are and why they are important?

My son teases me because he has been hearing me talk about PES for years and says, "PES again?" But the truth is, they are a fundamental mechanism. PES are a policy instrument that ensures the provision of ecosystem services through economic incentives, which can be either in cash or in kind, directed at communities that conserve key ecosystems.

PES are particularly interesting because they are conditional. This means that payments are only made if there are verifiable ways to ensure that the agreed-upon activities are being carried out within the land or territory. I use both terms—land and territory—because PES can apply to individual landowners as well as collective landholders, such as Indigenous reserves or Afro-Colombian community councils. In Mexico, for example, there are ejidos, a form of collective land ownership that I have been studying. In fact, next week, I will be traveling to Mexico for a workshop on PES with experts from different parts of the world. Ultimately, PES aims to ensure the provision of both material and non-material benefits that ecosystems offer by providing economic incentives, which can be either monetary or non-monetary.
 

Lina sharing the PES guide with local communities in Buenaventura, Chocó.

  Latin America has been a pioneer in implementing these programs. Costa Rica was the first country to establish a national PES scheme in the 1990s, followed by Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, and Colombia. Today, these programs are also being developed in Vietnam and other countries in the Global North.

In Colombia, there are four types of PSA: biodiversity conservation, water resource conservation, carbon capture, and cultural and recreational services. We contributed to a guide focused on this last category, designed to support the work of Indigenous and rural communities, local governments, and tourism operators in the development of PES projects.

“Latin America has been at the forefront of Payments for Ecosystem Services, pioneering and refining approaches that now serve as models for other regions."

Speaking about the Guide for PES Projects in the category of Cultural, Spiritual, and Recreational Services (focused on tourism), how did the idea come about, and what impact do you expect from it?

This guide emerged as part of the government’s strategy to promote nature tourism in the country. It was an open call, and Universidad de los Andes was selected to develop it. As an academic institution, our added value lies in pedagogy: ensuring that the guide not only contains technical knowledge but is also visual, clear, and applicable.
 

Guide for PES Projects in the category of Cultural, Spiritual, and Recreational Services

I worked with a high-quality interdisciplinary team. Three full-time faculty members participated, including my colleagues Sandra Vilardy, former Vice Minister of Environment, and, Juana García, Director of the Strategy Area at our faculty. We also had three consultants, graduates of our master´s programs, Carolina Hormizda, Pablo Restrepo and Daniela Rodero-Rey, who contributed their technical and operational expertise. Additionally, Beatriz Mogollón, our liaison with USAID, played a key role in managing and coordinating with different entities.

One of the main challenges for us was ensuring that the guide truly met the needs of the communities. That’s why, before its publication, we conducted workshops in several regions, allowing us to test and refine it based on feedback from its intended users. We also held training sessions with community leaders and tourism operators in collaboration with entities such as Parques Nacionales Naturales and Fontur (the National Tourism Fund). I found these spaces to be essential—not only because they helped strengthen the guide, but also because they gave recognition and voice to the communities, highlighting the importance of their knowledge and experience.
 

Engaging with local communities in a workshop in Santa Marta.

 

"These spaces gave recognition and voice to the communities, highlighting the importance of their knowledge and experience."

We know you attended COP16. Could you tell us about your experience presenting this initiative (the Payments for Environmental Services Guide)?

COP16 was an incredible experience because it allowed us to showcase the guide to a global audience. We participated in working sessions with experts from different countries and facilitated discussions on how PES can be integrated into broader conservation strategies. Additionally, we had the opportunity to engage with communities already implementing PES and receive direct feedback on how the guide can be adapted to different contexts.

This visibility also enabled us to explore future partnerships with international organisations and other universities interested in developing similar materials. I believe COP16 was key to elevating this work to a broader level and ensuring that the guide continues to be used and replicated in various settings.
 

Dr. Lina Moros, alongside Luis Pardo from the Ministry of Environment and Beatriz Mogollón Gómez from Destino Naturaleza – USAID, presenting the Guide for PES Projects at COP 16 in Cali on October 27th, 2024.

How do you see the role of academia, particularly Uniandes, in influencing public policies and practices through this project?

I see academia playing a crucial role in generating knowledge that can be applied to the formulation and implementation of public policies. At Uniandes, we not only contribute with our research capacity but also ensure that complex technical concepts are translated into accessible materials for communities and tourism sector stakeholders. More than just generating knowledge, we focus on how to disseminate it effectively, creating learning tools that allow people to adopt and apply it in meaningful ways. This gives us a significant advantage in driving real change. As part of this effort, we even developed a pedagogical video, which can be viewed at this link: Watch here.

At Uniandes, we see our role as much more than just generating knowledge—we are committed to transforming society. We act as a bridge between the public and private sectors, ensuring that policies are both effective and viable. Moreover, I believe academia must remain resilient in the face of geopolitical shifts, always prioritising the well-being of people.

We find ourselves in a paradox within Colombia’s environmental landscape: the privilege of possessing an extraordinary natural heritage, yet the fragility that constantly threatens it. In this context of high vulnerability and uncertainty, our university has successfully developed initiatives of remarkable quality and impact.

“At Uniandes, more than just generating knowledge, we focus on how to disseminate it effectively, creating learning tools that allow people to adopt and apply it in meaningful ways.”

From your experience, what lessons can be applied to future collaborations between universities and governments in conservation efforts?

The first key takeaway is that academia is a strategic ally for public policy and the implementation of sustainable projects. However, it is not always perceived that way. Part of the success of this project was demonstrating that, as a university, we not only generate knowledge but also understand how to disseminate and apply it in real-world contexts. Uniandes also serves as a platform to reach multiple stakeholders, engage with the media, and connect with communities.

Another important lesson is the value of long-term relationships with public and private sector actors. Having alumni in key positions within institutions significantly facilitates the development of projects like this.

Lastly, knowledge decentralisation is crucial. Too often, universities remain focused on their campuses and do not reach the regions where their knowledge is most needed. Leaving Bogotá and working directly with communities was essential for the success of the guide. Our campus must transcend physical boundaries. It is not confined to our facilities; it extends across the national territory and beyond. When we go to Buenaventura, it becomes an extended campus, and that is how it should be. Just as we recognize the ecological crisis and the need to expand our sense of being to include other living, sentient beings, the same applies to the campus. It is not confined to 19th Street in Bogotá, where our university is located; instead, it must flow, with boundaries that remain open and adaptable.

“Our campus must transcend physical boundaries. It is not confined to our facilities; it extends across the national territory and beyond”

What’s next for PES in Colombia, and what will be your role in this field?

The next step is the implementation of projects based on the guide. I hope that new PES models will be designed with solid baseline data to allow for long-term impact assessment, as rigorous evaluations of existing PES schemes are still lacking in the country.

On a personal level, I want to continue combining research with consultancy work. These projects allow for tangible results and create a real impact on public policy and conservation efforts.
 

Dr. Lina Moros with the Guide for PES Projects.

The Transformative Role of Academia

The interview with Dr. Lina Moros highlights how academia can be a key player in shaping public policy and implementing environmental initiatives within communities. Her work with the Illustrated Guide to PES for Tourism is a clear example of how knowledge can be translated into action, hopefully driving meaningful changes in ecosystem conservation and people’s lives.

Beyond this initiative, Lina has also participated in interdisciplinary projects such as Pulsaciones Raras, which explore new ways of integrating sustainability, design, and management. These initiatives will be presented at ERA 2048, a space where innovation and critical thinking come together to rethink the future of the planet.