Data and Code for: Money (Not) to Burn: Payments for Ecosystem Services to Reduce Crop Residue Burning.

We test whether payments for ecosystem services (PES) can curb the highly polluting
practice of crop residue burning in India. Standard PES contracts pay participants
after verification that they met a pro-environment condition (clearing fields without
burning). We randomize paying a portion of the money upfront and unconditionally to
address liquidity constraints and farmer distrust, which may undermine the standard
contract’s effectiveness. Incorporating contracts with partial upfront payment increase
compliance by 10 percentage points, which is corroborated by satellite-based burning
measurements. The cost per life saved is $3600 to $5400. The standard PES contract has
no effect on burning.

本研究旨在验证生态系统服务付费（Payments for Ecosystem Services, PES）能否遏制印度境内污染严重的农作物秸秆焚烧现象。标准生态系统服务付费合约会在验证参与者满足环保要求（即采用非焚烧方式清理农田）后，向其支付相应款项。为解决可能削弱标准合约效力的流动性约束与农户信任缺失问题，本研究通过随机化设计，设置了提前且无条件支付部分款项的合约方案。相较于标准合约，采用部分预付款的合约可将农户合规率提升10个百分点，该结果通过卫星遥感焚烧监测数据得到了验证。经测算，每挽救一条生命的成本为3600至5400美元。而标准生态系统服务付费合约对秸秆焚烧行为无显著影响。