Driving forces behind the construction of an eco-compensation mechanism for wetlands in China

doi:10.1007/s11707-016-0563-6

Front. Earth Sci.

2016, Vol. 10

Issue (3) : 487-497 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0563-6

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Driving forces behind the construction of an eco-compensation mechanism for wetlands in China

Changhai WANG^1,^2,^*(

)

¹. Rural Development Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100732, China
². Collaborative Innovation Center for Rural Reform and Development, Beijing 100732, China

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Abstract

This research revealed important driving forces behind the construction of an eco-compensation mechanism for wetlands (DFEMW) in China. Using China’s provincial panel data from 1978 to 2008, a fixed-effects model was used to analyze the impacts of agricultural production systems on wetlands. We identified three DFEMW as follows: the change of wetland resources and protection measures in China; declaration and implementation of the provincial Wetland Protection Ordinance; and wetland degradation by agricultural production systems, which necessitated the establishment of a wetland eco-compensation mechanism. In addition to the DFEMW, a significant positive correlation between wetland area and both rural population and gross agricultural production was identified, in addition to a negative correlation with chemical fertilizer usage, reservoir storage capacity, and irrigation area. The underlying reasons for the serious degradation and inadequate protection of wetlands were market failure and government failure; these were the driving forces behind the need to establish a wetland eco-compensation mechanism. From a governmental perspective, it has been difficult to rectify market failures in resource distribution and thus to prevent wetland degradation. Factors include conflicts of interest, lack of investment, effective special laws, a simple means to protect wetlands, and a multidisciplinary management system. Therefore, the key factor is the coordination of interest relationships between those who utilize wetlands and those who seek to minimize wetland degradation and effectively protect wetlands.

Keywords China driving forces eco-compensation socio-economic factors wetlands

Corresponding Author(s): Changhai WANG

Just Accepted Date: 25 February 2016 Online First Date: 24 March 2016 Issue Date: 20 June 2016

Cite this article:

Changhai WANG. Driving forces behind the construction of an eco-compensation mechanism for wetlands in China[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2016, 10(3): 487-497.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-016-0563-6
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2016/V10/I3/487

Fig.1 Changes in wetland areas and nature reserves in China; The data of wetland nature reserve areas is from Niu et al.（2012）; The data of wetland nature reserve numbers is from the directory of 2008 National Nature Reserve (Ministry of environmental protection of the people’s Republic of China, 2008).

Fig.2 The number of Wetland Protection Ordinance in China.

Regions	Start time	Wetland eco-compensation measures
Guangdong Province	2010	The proposal Strengthening wetland Protection and Establishing the key wetland Ecological Compensation Mechanism was listed by the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) of Guangdong Province as one of the four key proposals, which was supervised by the principal provincial leaders. From 2011, 10 million CNY each year would be used for the support of provincial wetland protection, as decided by the provincial financial department
Heilongjiang Province	2009	During the period of the 12th?Five-Year?Plan in China, half of the natural wetlands in Heilongjiang Province were included in the compensation range of wetland ecological efficiency. In 2012, 10 million CNY was established by the provincial financial department as the specific fund for wetland protection compensation. 21 wetland nature reserves and 1 wetland park in Heilongjiang Province were put into the compensation range
Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province	2010	Drinking water sources and important ecological wetlands were listed in the eco-compensation focus of Suggestions about Establishing the Mechanism for Ecological Compensation that was published by Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, and included the township government, village committee, and farmers, which undertook direct responsibility for the region’s ecological protection, as the compensation target. From 2010 to 2011, approximately 70 million CNY was set as the fund of total wetland ecological benefits compensation. In March 2013, Suzhou City continued to publish Suggestions about Adjusting and Improving the policy of Ecological Compensation. The measures of classification and tranche were applied to the village’s wetland eco-compensation, improving its standard
Wuhan City, Hubei Province	?2014	Wuhan City of Hubei province started to perform The Tentative Measures of the Ecological Compensation in the Wetland Nature Reserves. 10 million CNY was invested annually by the municipal and regional financial department in eco-compensation for the 5 wetland nature reserves of Wuhan City. Compensation would be paid to stakeholders, whose production and operation activities are restricted by the wetland protection, and operators, whose waters, intertidal zones and woodlands are economically damaged by foraging wildlife, such as birds

Tab.1 Implementation of wetland eco-compensation in various regions of China

Tab.2 Agricultural production impacts to wetland area

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