Payments for ecosystem services (PES) occur when the beneficiaries or users of an ecosystem service make payments to the providers of that service. In practice, this may take the form of a series of payments in return for receiving a flow of benefits or ecosystem services. The basic idea is that whoever provides a service should be paid for doing so (CIFOR, 2014).
The use of biodiversity credits potentially brings more flexibility and diversity into the exchange, and allows for additional actors to participate by allowing for the accounting of various values and services of all aspects of biodiversity. In short, purchasers of biodiversity credits may not be end users or direct beneficiaries of specific ecosystem services, but may wish to contribute to their protection.