Study on Consistent Agricultural Compensation Standards for Ecosystem and Ecological Value

Chinese and international studies on agricultural ecological compensation standards fall into two categories:While some focus on the cost of ecological protection,others proceed from the value of ecological services.Cost and value are two aspects of an integrated input-output system,but most existing studies on both types of compensation standards are independent of each other.Drawing upon the reasonable elements from both types of studies to overcome each other’s one-sidedness,this paper has created a“model of consistent compensation standards for the ecosystem and ecological value,”integrating the research approaches for both types of compensation standards under the same analytical framework.Through the application and analysis of this model,this paper has verified the model’s theoretical and practical significance in correcting the one-sidedness of each type of research.The principles and methodologies for creating the model may be further extended to research on agricultural ecological compensation standards under different conditions.In some circumstances,the ability of relatively redundant resources to create ecological value is overlooked.To address this problem,this paper employs a linear programming(LP)sensitivity analysis instrument to correct the model’s initial optimal solutions and arrive at consistent compensation standards that satisfy the consistency between ecosystem and ecological value,thus perfecting the theoretical and methodological system created by this paper for research on agricultural ecological compensation standards.

Calculation of Ecological Compensation Standards for the Kuancheng Traditional Chestnut Cultivation System

Kuancheng Traditional Chestnut Cultivation System is located in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Water Containment Function Area.The Traditional Chestnut Cultivation System is characterized by agroforestry compound,and some studies have shown that the compound planting of chestnut has better ecological benefits than the single chestnut planting mode.However,most of the local farmers in Kuancheng are mainly engaged in single chestnut cultivation.Through ecological compensation,farmers are being encouraged to change their chestnut planting mode,which can achieve the purpose of inheriting China’s important agricultural heritage and improving the ecological benefits.This paper introduces preference coefficients to correct for opportunity costs,and through interviews and questionnaires,we obtained the input and output of the single chestnut cultivation,chestnut-maitake,chestnut-millet,and chestnut-chicken and the income of laborers working outside the home in the Kuancheng area.Through analysis and calculation,we obtained the following results:(1)Although the net income of the three chestnut composite modes is higher,their economic input is higher than that of a single chestnut planting mode,and the return on unit investment is lower.(2)The average income of young and middle-aged workers who work outside is higher than that of the local farming industry,so the local chestnut agroforestry plantation has a higher opportunity cost.(3)The final calculation shows that the chestnut-chicken agroforestry operation mode needs no compensation,the chestnut-maitake plantation mode is compensated at least 1608.5 USD ha^(-1) yr^(-1),and the minimum compensation for the chestnut-millet plantation mode is 198.3 USD ha^(-1) yr^(-1),which can guarantee that farmers receive the full value of their creations.Ultimately,farmers are incentivized to revive the traditional agroforestry production mode to achieve both economic and ecological benefits while inheriting agricultural heritage.

Eco-compensation of Wetlands in Yellow River Delta of Shandong Province,China

Wetlands play an important ecological role and provide many functions for people, yet wetlands are cur- rently decreasing and deteriorating. The ability to calculate an economic value for the loss of wetlands is becoming in- creasingly important for policy makers. In this study, remote sensing, field investigations, department visits, and other methods were used to survey wetland types, assess wetland area changes, and calculate wetland economic value. Mar- ket value loss and ecological ftmction value loss, caused by reduction of wetland area and environmental pollution were calculated using commonly accepted methods of market valuation, ecological valuation, environmental protection investment cost analysis, and outcome parameters. According to market value loss and ecological function value loss, preliminarily fund allocation for wetland and ecological compensation was calculated. This will provide an important reference for future Yellow River Delta eco-compensation studies.

我国省级普惠式健康险发展现状

目的 了解我国省级普惠式健康险(普惠险)发展现状,厘清基本医疗保险、普惠险和百万医疗险的区别,分析普惠险当前存在的问题并对其未来发展提出可行性建议。方法 在31个省(自治区、直辖市)人民政府网、医疗保障局、卫生健康委员会、民政厅、人力资源和社会保障厅等政府官网以“普惠险”“惠民保”“补充医疗保险”为关键词检索相关政策文件和信息,同时配合各地的“本地保微信公众号”及各普惠险投保平台,搜集省级普惠险的参保信息以及具体的保障内容,时间截至2021年10月15日。结果 截至2021年10月15日,31个省级行政区中有19个地区共推出26款省级普惠险,保障责任集中于医疗保险目录内住院费用和特殊药品费用。普惠险的区域性、普惠性品以及特殊药品的保障是其与百万医疗险的主要区别。当前普惠险发展的问题体现在“两高一低一同”,即免赔额高而赔付限额虚高、可持续性低以及产品同质化严重。结论 建议医疗保障部门对普惠险进行背书和指导,合理设置省级普惠险的赔付标准和保障内容,提高普惠险产品的可持续性和抗风险能力;商业保险公司应加速迭代产品,适应市场需求,脱离同质化。

New Compensation Standard for Land Expropriation in China

This paper explores a new compensation standard for use in agricultural land conversion in China during the land-expropriation process, based on the market value definition. Assuming identical bargainingpower between the buyer and the seller, efficient and equitable compensation is obtained through a market transaction and bargaining negotiation mechanism, under the assumpation of a perfect market. From the state-of-the-art viewpoint of land appraising, a practical approximation of the theoretical optimal compensation will provide an effective solution for China, under the current collective-owned land property rights structure.

Research on the ecological compensation standard of the basin pollution control project based on evolutionary game theory and by taking Xiangjiang River as a case

Ecological compensation is a new resource and environment management model.As one of the main areas for implementing ecological compensation policies,basin ecological compensation has become an important measure for encouraging basin pollution control projects and improving the quality of regional economic development.By applying the basic game analysis of evolutionary game theory and building an evolutionary game model with a“reward-punishment”mechanism,this paper compares the interest-related decision-making behaviors of the upstream and downstream stakeholders of basin ecological compensation.By using data on the water quality of Xiangjiang River Basin,this paper calculates the rewards and penalties in different intervals by building a parametric regression mathematical model and employing the local linear regression method.Results show that a decline in water quality should be fined RMB 925500 yuan,an improvement in water quality should be awarded RMB 1227800 yuan,and a deteriorating water quality should be severely fined RMB 5087600 yuan.

Payments for watershed ecosystem services:mechanism,progress and challenges

Introduction:Payment for watershed ecosystem services(PWES),a policy instrument for compensating for the externality of watershed ecosystem/environmental services,has gained in policy importance in China over the past two decades.Many scholars and researchers have contributed to the conceptualization of this policy framework by developing operational mechanisms as well as compensation standards for PWES.Outcomes:This article reviews 27 PWES schemes piloted in China and in 10 other countries,with a particular emphasis on successful cases of land-use conversion programs,such as the Paddy Land to Dry Land Program and Sloping Land Conversion Program that have been implemented in China.Discussion:By comparing different cases,the authors attempt to answer the following questions:what were the ecological and institutional contexts in which these schemes were established and how did they work?What were the actual efficiencies and impacts of these piloted schemes?Which scheme worked better in certain ecological,socio-economic,and institutional contexts?Conclusion:Based on case studies,the authors draw the following conclusions about Chinese PWES:(1)to establish an acceptable standard for a PWES program,it is necessary to estimate the economic and social costs regarding the livelihoods of households;(2)multistakeholder negotiation mechanism for PWES,including intermediaries,such as the local government,NGO/NPOs,village committees,and user associations,should be used;(3)ES,non-market services,should acquire positive externalities to accomplish an optimal win–win pattern concerning both environmental goals and the livelihoods of local resource users.

Responses of grazing households to different levels of payments for ecosystem services

Introduction:Payments for Ecosystem Services(PES)programs have been implemented globally to protect ecosystems while securing the well-being of affected people.Reasonable payment standards are key to successful PES programs.Although some approaches are available for determining payment standards,few studies have applied them for grassland conservation with location indicators and socioeconomic contexts properly considered.Methods:Using China’s first pilot Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy(GECP)as an example,we analyzed the effects of payment levels,other natural and socioeconomic factors on herders’willingness to participate in the GECP in Damao County in Inner Mongolia where grassland degradation is happening at an alarming rate due to overgrazing and cropland expansion.Outcomes:Our results show that households with lower herding income,older age,higher education,larger grassland areas,and worse social relationships are more inclined to participate in the GECP.Conservation payment level,as well as natural and socioeconomic contextual factors,significantly affect the response of herdsmen,and a reasonable grassland payment standard with a 95%policy compliance rate should be 8.8 yuan mu-1.Discussion and Conclusion:Our findings can inform governments to develop effective PES programs to balance the need of human well-being improvement and grassland conservation in China and beyond.