The Eco-Compensation System

The eco-compensation system is an important component of the system of institutions for building an eco-civilization. It is an effective measure to enforce eco-environmental protection rights and responsibilities, mobilize all parties to participate in eco-environmental protection, and advance the pace of building China's eco-civilization.

In October 2005, the 16th CPC Central Committee, at its fifth plenary session, decided to establish an eco-compensation system in line with the principle that whoever develops resources and profits therefrom must protect them and pay relevant compensation. The 18th CPC Central Committee, at its third plenary session in 2013, set a requirement to implement the system.

In October 2017, at its 19th National Congress the CPC announced the decision to set up diverse market-based mechanisms for eco-compensation. In 2019, the 19th CPC Central Committee, at its fourth plenary session, required full implementation of the systems of compensation for both ecological protection and for eco-environmental damage, and lifelong accountability for damage.

In September 2021, the central authorities published a document on reforming the eco-compensation system, requiring faster progress toward an eco-compensation system based on better interplay between an efficient market and a capable government, with both classified compensation and comprehensive compensation, both vertical (central-local) and horizontal (cross-regional) programs, and both incentives and constraints, along with the effort to raise public awareness of the need to respect, accommodate and protect nature.

At present, China's eco-compensation covers forests, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, ocean regions, rivers and farmlands, regions prohibited from development, and key ecological functional zones.

In addition to payment under government guidance, compensation now can be provided through diverse, market-based channels such as trading of water-use rights, carbon emission rights, and pollution discharge rights, and carbon sink transactions.

The scope of compensation has expanded from individual fields to multiple sectors, and the compensation involving particular river basins has extended from payment among regions within a province to trans-provincial payments to all parties affected. A basic national eco-compensation framework has been set up.

生態保護補償制度

生態保護補償制度作為生態文明制度的重要組成部分，是落實生態保護權責、調動各方參與生態保護積極性、推進生態文明建設的重要手段。

2005年10月，中共十六屆五中全會首次提出，按照“誰開發誰保護、誰受益誰補償”的原則，加快建立生態補償機制。2013年，中共十八屆三中全會《決定》提出實行生態補償制度。2017年10月，中共十九大提出要建立市場化、多元化生態補償機制。2019年10月，中共十九屆四中全會《決定》進一步要求，落實生態補償和生態環境損害賠償制度，實行生態環境損害責任終身追究制。

2021年9月，中共中央辦公廳、國務院辦公廳印發《關于深化生態保護補償制度改革的意見》，要求加快健全有效市場和有為政府更好結合、分類補償與綜合補償統籌兼顧、縱向補償與橫向補償協調推進、強化激勵與硬化約束協同發力的生態保護補償制度，推動全社會形成尊重自然、順應自然、保護自然的思想共識和行動自覺。

目前，中國生態保護補償領域已基本實現禁止開發區域、重點生態功能區等重要區域與森林、草原、濕地、荒漠、海洋、水流、耕地等重點領域生態保護補償全覆蓋。補償方式由政府主導型逐漸向市場化、多元化轉變，積極探索綜合運用水權、碳排放權、排污權、碳匯交易等市場化補償手段。補償范圍從單領域補償延伸至綜合補償，流域生態補償從省內補償擴展到跨省補償，國家生態補償格局基本建立。