An Assessment of the Rational Range of Eco-Compensation Standards: A Case Study in the Nujiang Prefecture, Southwestern China

Eco-compensation is an effective means of coordinating ecological protection and economic development, and the assessment of its standards is core content in the study of eco-compensation projects. To improve the operability of eco-compensation standards, taking Nujiang Prefecture as the study area, we combine the equivalent factor method and water footprint method to evaluate the ecosystem-service-value (ESV) spillover and use the market comparison method to calculate the opportunity cost. The final eco-compensation upper and lower limits model is constructed on the basis of the ESV spillover and opportunity cost. The results show the following: (1) the ecological protection of Nujiang Prefecture has been effective, based on the stabilization of its ESV after an initial increase. The main types of ecosystem services provided are regulation and provision services. Gongshan County makes the most significant contribution to the total ESV. (2) The ratio of the ESV self-consumption in Nujiang Prefecture shows a trend of first rising and then falling. This is mainly explained through the reduction in the use of industrial and agricultural water. After deducting self-consumption through the water footprint method, it can be observed that there is ecological spillover in Nujiang Prefecture. (3) The opportunity cost in Nujiang Prefecture increases yearly from 2005 to 2020 owing to ecological protection policies. Combined with the ESV spillover, it is determined that the rational range of the eco-compensation standard is between CNY 6.17 x 10(2) million and 120.01 x 10(2) million in 2005, between CNY 10.02 x 10(2) million and 128.25 x 10(2) million in 2010, between CNY 30.34 x 10(2) million and 197.12 x 10(2) million in 2015, and between CNY 41.97 x 10(2) million and 227.52 x 10(2) million in 2020. The current study can offer decision makers a more flexible eco-compensation standard while coordinating the contradiction between regional ecological protection and economic development.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of ecological protection in Nujiang Prefecture, with ecosystem services mainly consisting of regulation and provision services, and Gongshan County making a significant contribution to the total ESV. The ratio of ESV self-consumption fluctuates, primarily due to changes in industrial and agricultural water use. As a result of ecological protection policies, the opportunity cost increases annually.