Willingness to pay for nature protection

This study examines the Portuguese population’s willingness to financially contribute to environmental protection through either traditional taxation or a voluntary crowdfunding campaign. The authors implement a nationwide survey based on a representative sample of the population to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for preventing and mitigating oil spills in a vulnerable region, the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina, thereby protecting marine and coastal ecosystems. Using a discrete choice experiment, the authors estimate how much individuals value the protection of four ecosystem services: biodiversity conservation, coastal protection, surfing activity, and beach use. It is also evaluated whether the payment vehicle used in the valuation scenario influences these preferences. This study is the first to measure nationwide WTP values for marine and coastal ecosystem services in Portugal.

The results indicate that individuals show a stronger willingness to contribute through crowdfunding rather than through taxes. This preference is particularly pronounced among those who express low levels of trust in public institutions. Moreover, respondents assign different values to the ecosystem services considered: the highest WTP is observed for biodiversity conservation, followed by the protection of beaches and coastal defense. On average, respondents are willing to contribute €42.25 to support the proposed conservation program.

Overall, the results suggest that crowdfunding can serve as a credible, transparent, and participatory alternative to traditional forms of environmental financing. By fostering accountability and aligning with public trust dynamics, crowdfunding mechanisms can enhance civic engagement and strengthen social legitimacy for conservation initiatives. In contexts where institutional credibility is weak, crowdfunding may complement public funding by mobilizing financial resources and promoting collective action to address local environmental risks and advance sustainability goals.

Click here to go to the paper by Maria A. Cunha-e-Sá, Til Dietrich, Ana Faria, Luis Catela Nunes, Margarida Ortigão, Renato Rosa, and Carina Vieira-da-Silva.