A County-Scale Spillover Ecological Value Compensation Standard of Ecological Barrier Area in China: Based on an Extended Emergy Analysis

Ecological compensation (EC) is an important way to solve the imbalance of cross-regional economic development and realize regional coordinated development. How to quantify the standard of EC has become a hot research topic. Firstly, this paper selected the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) as the study area, and constructed a cross-regional spillover ecological value measurement model based on the extended emergy analysis. From the perspective of the “ecology–economy–society” complex ecosystem, this paper used emergy to reflect the social, economic, and ecological function and service value of the TGRR, and estimated the ecosystem emergy supply and consumption in the TGRR. Then, comparing the watershed ecosystem emergy supply and consumption, we can judge the status of the ecological surplus and deficit of the TGRR, and transfer the spillover ecological emergy to spillover ecological value (SEV) by using the emergy currency ratio (ECR). Finally, combined with different actual payment level coefficient, we can obtain a relatively objective and robust compensation standard. The results show that the SEV of the TGRR in 2016 is 2.70 × 1011 USD, which indicates that the TGRR is in the state of ecological surplus. The TGRR should get EC about 2.85 × 1011 USD according to the ECR. Based on the research results, it is suggested to expand the transfer payment to the TGRR. At the same time, it is suggested to formulate different ecological compensation standard (ECS) according to regional differences, which has important practical significance to establish the allocation standard of EC, and provides a typical case basis for other large reservoir areas or typical reservoir areas.

Study on Cross-Basin Ecological Compensation Mechanism and Compensation Standard

Water resources in China’s river basins are scarce, and the pollution that shrouds them is serious. Constant disputes have emerged between the upstream and downstream sectors due to the contamination of river basins. Moreover, China’s research on ecological compensation mechanisms and compensation standards is still immature at present. Thus, this study establishes a compensation model and introduces the compensation coefficient K, including the compensation coefficient K1 between the upstream and downstream governments and the compensation coefficient K2 between the upstream government and the central government. This paper adopts the Bargain Game Model and obtains the value of K2 through the decision-making process between the central government and the upstream local government. In addition, amendment to the final offer arbitration law is used to acquire the value of K1 by proving the existence and uniqueness of equilibrium. Then, this paper takes the Taohe River Basin as an example and combines the compensation model to analyze, using the simplified compensation function to determine the amount of emission pollution from upstream to downstream and the compensation that upstream should receive.

Regional Non-point Source Pollution Control Method: A Design of Ecological Compensation Standards

Reasonable ecological compensation standard is the key to solve farmland non-point source pollution. In the design of compensation standards, the current investigation included ecological benefits in selecting the experimental method. The Multinomial Logit model is used to analyze the willingness of farmers to receive compensation for non-point source pollution control of cultivated land. The results are as follows: 1) Financial compensation can effectively stimulate farmers’ willingness to control non-point source pollution. 2) The willingness of farmers to participate in the ecological compensation is greater when there prevails a higher level of risk preferences and higher understanding of farmland non-point source pollution control policy. Also, willingness is higher in younger, highly educated, and highly involved in a part-time family business with higher recognition degree in the ecological function of farmland non-point source pollution control. 3) The difference in treatment measures and compensation methods should be included in the standard compensation design. Therefore, the design of the ecological compensation standard should take into account the economic loss and ecological benefits of farmers at the same time, and environmental protection publicity and education for farmers can also be carried out with the help of modern media.

Study on Trans-Boundary Water Quality and Quantity Ecological Compensation Standard: A Case of the Bahao Bridge Section in Yongding River, China

Watershed ecological compensation, as an important means to protect the environment and promote the sustainable and coordinated development of upstream and downstream has wide concern in China. At present, the compensation accounting method only assesses water quality. When applied to some northern rivers represented by the Yongding River, which are facing water shortage, the assessment of water quality indicators alone cannot effectively compensate the ecosystem service providers for their expenditure on the environment. This paper proposes a transboundary water quality and quantity ecological compensation standard model, which couples the water quality ecological compensation standard of pollutant reduction and the water quantity ecological compensation standard based on the restoration cost method. We set up two scenarios using the model to calculate the amount of compensation payable under the actual scenario in 2018, which is USD 68.2 million. The amount of compensation under the local environmental policy target scenario is USD 10.6–82.668–529 million. It was concluded that the funds obtained from this model can cover the rehabilitation cost and meet the benefits of the upstream and downstream, making compensation funds more reasonable. However, based on the cross-sectional assessment, there is still a lack of integrity and comprehensiveness for the river basin. The development of watershed ecological compensation should move from the game of upstream and downstream interests to a win–win situation.

Ecological Compensation Standard of a Water-Receiving Area in an Inter-Basin Water Diversion Based on Ecosystem Service Value and Public Willingness: A Case Study of Beijing

Ecological compensation has recently gained significant attention as an economic incentive promoting natural resource management. However, there remain several challenges to its application. A key issue is the lack of a method clearly define the standard of ecological compensation. This study established an accounting methodology for the ecological compensation standard for the water-receiving area in an inter-basin water diversion in China. Beijing, a major water-receiving area of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, was used as an example of the application of this approach. First, the evaluation index of ecosystem service value of the water-receiving area was selected, then, emergy theory was used to calculate the increment of ecological service value based on the characteristics of each indicator. The ecological service value due to the project was calculated to be 3.898 billion RMB, while the willingness-to-pay by the public was estimated at 915 million RMB. Therefore, the increment of ecological service value was the highest standard of compensation, and the public’s willingness-to-pay was the lower limit of ecological compensation. The final compensation standard can be determined through negotiation between suppliers and beneficiaries under the leadership of relevant governments and water-transfer authorities. Thus, this study aimed to provide a scientific basis for the construction of diversified ecological compensation mechanisms and promote sustainable development of the region.

Ecological Compensation Standard of Trans-Boundary River Basin Based on Ecological Spillover Value: A Case Study for the Lancang–Mekong River Basin

Ecological compensation is an effective means to solve the conflict of interests among trans-boundary river basin countries. How to determine the ecological compensation standard is the core of ecological compensation. On the basis of the emergy synthesis method, we developed an emergy-water resources ecological footprint model for trans-boundary river basin countries. Based on the calculation of ecosystem service value and consumption ecological value of trans-boundary river basin countries, the ecological spillover value of each basin country is obtained. From the perspective of supply and consumption, the ecological compensation standard in basin countries is determined by judging the supply and consumption status of ecological services and combining with the willingness to pay for ecological compensation. Taking the Lancang–Mekong River Basin as an example, the results show that (1) the ecosystem service value of the Lancang–Mekong River Basin countries from high to low is Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and Myanmar; (2) in terms of ecosystem service value consumption, the order from high to low is Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Laos, and Myanmar; and (3) Thailand and Vietnam, located in the lower reaches of the basin, belong to the consumers of ecological services, and based on the actual willingness to pay, they need to pay $46.913 billion and $1.699 billion, respectively.

Analysis of coordinated control of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei smog based on evolutionary game theory

Based on the perspective of ecological compensation and ecological claims, this paper analyzes the stability of Beijing Tianjin Hebei haze governance alliance by using asymmetric evolutionary game model, and obtains the optimal strategy combination. The results show that: a reasonable ecological compensation standard is very important for enterprises to adopt energy-saving and emission reduction strategies. Only when the total value of ecological claims in the two places is higher than the cost of energy-saving and emission reduction, enterprises will adopt energy-saving and emission reduction strategies, and the implementation of energy-saving and emission reduction strategies will not be shaken by the amount of ecological compensation.