By Zhang Liang & Zhao Zhenfang, Research Team on “Value Assessment and Management Mode of Carbon Sequestration in China’s Ecological Function Areas”, Research Department of Social Development, DRC

Research Report, Special Issue, No.5, 2017 (Total 1529) 2017-03-21

Abstract: Improving the sustainability of ecological function areas could provide a fundamental guarantee for better leveraging the role of ecological function areas in offering ecological protection. China attaches great importance to promoting the sustainable development of ecological function areas, and the sustainability of some key ecological function areas has been consummated. However, China’s ecological function areas’ across-the-board sustainability is still inadequate. For instance, the uncoordinated relationship between ecological conservation and economic and social development, heavy reliance on the financing model of transfer payment by the central budget, stagnant development of infrastructure and public services, absence of a market transaction mechanism for ecological products and services and other related factors all hinder the enhancement of sustainability for these areas. In the future, China needs to support ecological function areas to establish a sound mechanism for coordinating ecological conservation and economic and social development, launch a diversified input mechanism for ecological function areas, and explore ways for the establishment of a market-based transaction mechanism for ecological products and services. In addition, the government needs to, through various means, enhance the infrastructure and public services level of ecological function areas so as to provide a significant guarantee to the sustainable development of the ecological function areas.

Key words: ecological function areas, sustainable development, problems and challenges