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

Abstract

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.

Interactive influences of ecosystem services and socioeconomic factors on watershed eco-compensation standard “popularization” based on natural based solutions

“…Similarly, the conditions for the equilibrium game in the second stage are also valid. In addition, this paper relies on the survey results of multidimensional trust willingness to pay (WTP) in the Mihe River Basin ( Ni et al, 2021 , Peng et al, 2021 ). In the upstream Linqu County of the Mihe River Basin, the monthly investment cost of “strive” in the “sober” state was 0.52 US$/person.…”

Discussion on the design of compensation standards for regional environmental pollution from the perspective of new structural economics

“…For example, to provide high-quality and sufficient water resources downstream, upstream and midstream mining enterprises need to reduce production capacity, reduce production and discharge, and give up some of their development authority. To maintain the continuity of water flow and protect important aquatic biological resources, hydropower enterprises located in nature reserves or important ecological function areas need to be closed [11][12][13].…”

Spatial-Temporal Characteristics of Ecosystem Service Values of Watershed and Ecological Compensation Scheme Considering Its Realization in Spatial Planning

“…The ecological compensation fund can be used by the ES providers to protect or restore the ecosystem, thus realizing ecological sustainability [8]. Even though ecological compensation could achieve a win-win situation of ecological conservation and economic development theoretically [9][10][11], there are difficulties when taking it into practice [12], such as how to clearly identify the subject and object of ecological compensation, how to unify the compensation standard, how to distribute the compensation funds, and so on [13,14].…”