It is seen that many of the developed economies have policies where the values derived from the resources are used to manage the landscapes by deriving revenues from the user may it be individuals or agencies. But it is seen that we don't have any universal policies worldover. Under these circumstances, an international body/Institution should take the lead in developing a technique/method by carrying out suitable research so that it can be universally adopted by all the member countries through a convention of parties for the longterm management of the landscapes.
Good observation. Most of the landscape management for sustainability are done at a local scale with many directions from societal values in that location. That is why we see a high variability. Any sustainability framework can be implemented worldwide, but the framework needs to be adapted to local conditions. A starting point can be the UN Sustainable Development Goals that are very comprehensive.
Some concerns about payment for / valuation of ecosystem services:
1. Article Ecosystem Services as a Contested Concept: A Synthesis of Cr...
2. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780203395288/chapters/10.4324/9780203395288-13
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016718515000688
4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0309133311421708
5. Article Obscuring Ecosystem Function with Application of the Ecosyst...
6. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/beyond-payments-for-ecosystem-services-considerations-of-trust-livelihoods-and-tenure-security-in-communitybased-conservation-projects/580ABF607D780BC99BF16056015FD8D5
7. Article Debating nature’s value: epistemic strategy and struggle in ...
Quite a few environmental valuation methods exist (and have been known for some time) but the selection of one over another will (or rather should) hinge on the environmental impact to be assessed as well as data availability. Market-based methods include (i) change-in-productivity, (ii) loss of earnings, and (iii) defensive or preventive expenditures. Methods based on surrogate market value have to do with (i) property value, (ii) wage differential, (iii) travel cost, and (iv) marketed goods as surrogates. Methods based on potential expenditure or willingness-to-pay include (i) replacement cost, (ii) shadow project, and (iii) contingent valuation. That said, where policies are not clear and/or capabilities are not sufficiently developed, there may well remain a need for reference to higher-level "guidance". Multilateral organizations such as the World Bank can be relied upon to integrate related concerns in the design of the projects they finance. At a higher level still, the Sustainable Development Goals provide a much-needed (and far-sighted) framework, as Timothy O Randhir explained. Not to forget, it is undoubtedly incumbent on national governments to set their houses in order at the local level; since that is of course much harder, there is all the more reason as this query suggests to take early first steps. "It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result," said Mahatma Gandhi (and that applies at the national level too).
Research Environmental Valuation Methods in Economic Analysis