Transboundary rivers have important geopolitical and geo-economic connotations, but riparian states of transboundary rivers are often driven by their own rapid population growth and economic development to become invo...Transboundary rivers have important geopolitical and geo-economic connotations, but riparian states of transboundary rivers are often driven by their own rapid population growth and economic development to become involved in regional conflicts about the development and use of water resources. Therefore, finding a balance between the need for fair and reasonable development of water resources and the effective protection of environment from an ecological perspective has become a major problem faced by the international community. This paper begins with consideration of international water laws related to transboundary rivers and then reviews advances in the research on benefit-sharing, ecological compensation mechanisms, and adaptive management systems. We believe that existing international water laws form a complete legal system and that more attention needs to be paid to transboundary cooperation and sustainable water resource use. With respect to how transboundary water conflicts are resolved, there is a trend to move away from single water resource allocation（a zero-sum game） to benefit-sharing in order to achieve a win-win situation for riparian states, but there are still some difficulties in transboundary ecological compensation. In China, the central government has paid attention to horizontal ecological compensation between upstream and downstream, offering guidance to promote establishment of inter-province ecological compensation. Based on existing practice, horizontal ecological compensations are still in their infancy, small in scale, supported by a weak legal system, lacking market mechanisms to encourage their use and relying on fiscal transfers as the method of payment. In the future, China will need to intensify its research on legal system development, international cooperation, and benefit-sharing as these impact transboundary water resources. Because government can be seen as a management department with multiple identities（enabler, regulator and buyer）, to improve adaptive transboundary ecological compensation mechanisms, government must develop as soon as possible data sharing platforms, standards of water consumption behaviors and intergovernmental policies（or ordinances）.展开更多
Southwestern China contains rich hydropower resources and a high concentration of impoverished people. The acceleration of hydropower development is an important way for promoting the development of impoverished areas...Southwestern China contains rich hydropower resources and a high concentration of impoverished people. The acceleration of hydropower development is an important way for promoting the development of impoverished areas and improving the livelihood assets of rural households. Taking Nujiang Prefecture as our focal area we conducted enterprise interviews and government discussions to arrive at a benefit-sharing mechanism for hydropower development. We found that heavy tax burdens on enterprises, low compensation standards, unreasonable electricity prices and weak development conditions are the main reasons that hydropower development is not accompanied by local economic development and improvement in the livelihoods of rural people. Based on a specific factor model and the theory of persistent income, a theoretical model is proposed and used to assess the scenario before relocation and the scenario after relocation. On this basis, policy recommendations for benefit-sharing mechanisms of hydropower development are proposed.展开更多
Benefit sharing on transboundary rivers is an approach to address equitable and reasonable development and utilization of transboundary water resources(TWR). Through analyzing a few typical benefit sharing cases, this...Benefit sharing on transboundary rivers is an approach to address equitable and reasonable development and utilization of transboundary water resources(TWR). Through analyzing a few typical benefit sharing cases, this paper provides a systematic discussion of the theory of TWR benefits sharing. TWR features a kind of common pool resources(CPRs). Its benefit sharing subjects are the riparian countries. The shared benefits usually include flood prevention, power generation, navigation, irrigation, contributions to society and culture, etc. The benefit sharing modes mainly include shared benefits and responsibilities, reciprocal rights and obligations, equal benefit distribution, cost proportion-based benefit sharing, and demand-based benefit sharing. The first step in the realization process of benefit sharing is the sharing of data and information. Second is the benefit identification and evaluation. Third is the establishment of a mechanism to guarantee the benefit sharing. The conditions for realizing benefit sharing depends on, first, if the riparian countries are willing to cooperate with each other;second, whether the cooperation can bring incremental benefit or cost reduction in comparison with unilateral operation;and third, if the benefit distribution is equitable and reasonable and can stand the test of time.展开更多
基金The Projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China(71561137002,41671177 and 41501192)National Key Basic Research and Development Plan of China(2015CB452702)National Key Research and Development Plan of China(2016YFA0602402)
文摘Transboundary rivers have important geopolitical and geo-economic connotations, but riparian states of transboundary rivers are often driven by their own rapid population growth and economic development to become involved in regional conflicts about the development and use of water resources. Therefore, finding a balance between the need for fair and reasonable development of water resources and the effective protection of environment from an ecological perspective has become a major problem faced by the international community. This paper begins with consideration of international water laws related to transboundary rivers and then reviews advances in the research on benefit-sharing, ecological compensation mechanisms, and adaptive management systems. We believe that existing international water laws form a complete legal system and that more attention needs to be paid to transboundary cooperation and sustainable water resource use. With respect to how transboundary water conflicts are resolved, there is a trend to move away from single water resource allocation（a zero-sum game） to benefit-sharing in order to achieve a win-win situation for riparian states, but there are still some difficulties in transboundary ecological compensation. In China, the central government has paid attention to horizontal ecological compensation between upstream and downstream, offering guidance to promote establishment of inter-province ecological compensation. Based on existing practice, horizontal ecological compensations are still in their infancy, small in scale, supported by a weak legal system, lacking market mechanisms to encourage their use and relying on fiscal transfers as the method of payment. In the future, China will need to intensify its research on legal system development, international cooperation, and benefit-sharing as these impact transboundary water resources. Because government can be seen as a management department with multiple identities（enabler, regulator and buyer）, to improve adaptive transboundary ecological compensation mechanisms, government must develop as soon as possible data sharing platforms, standards of water consumption behaviors and intergovernmental policies（or ordinances）.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41271146)Key Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KZZD-EW-06-01)
文摘Southwestern China contains rich hydropower resources and a high concentration of impoverished people. The acceleration of hydropower development is an important way for promoting the development of impoverished areas and improving the livelihood assets of rural households. Taking Nujiang Prefecture as our focal area we conducted enterprise interviews and government discussions to arrive at a benefit-sharing mechanism for hydropower development. We found that heavy tax burdens on enterprises, low compensation standards, unreasonable electricity prices and weak development conditions are the main reasons that hydropower development is not accompanied by local economic development and improvement in the livelihoods of rural people. Based on a specific factor model and the theory of persistent income, a theoretical model is proposed and used to assess the scenario before relocation and the scenario after relocation. On this basis, policy recommendations for benefit-sharing mechanisms of hydropower development are proposed.
基金National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFA0601600)
文摘Benefit sharing on transboundary rivers is an approach to address equitable and reasonable development and utilization of transboundary water resources(TWR). Through analyzing a few typical benefit sharing cases, this paper provides a systematic discussion of the theory of TWR benefits sharing. TWR features a kind of common pool resources(CPRs). Its benefit sharing subjects are the riparian countries. The shared benefits usually include flood prevention, power generation, navigation, irrigation, contributions to society and culture, etc. The benefit sharing modes mainly include shared benefits and responsibilities, reciprocal rights and obligations, equal benefit distribution, cost proportion-based benefit sharing, and demand-based benefit sharing. The first step in the realization process of benefit sharing is the sharing of data and information. Second is the benefit identification and evaluation. Third is the establishment of a mechanism to guarantee the benefit sharing. The conditions for realizing benefit sharing depends on, first, if the riparian countries are willing to cooperate with each other;second, whether the cooperation can bring incremental benefit or cost reduction in comparison with unilateral operation;and third, if the benefit distribution is equitable and reasonable and can stand the test of time.
