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Grassland ecological compensation policy in China improves grassland quality and increases herders’ income

Author

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  • Lingling Hou

    (Peking University)

  • Fang Xia

    (University of International Business and Economics)

  • Qihui Chen

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Jikun Huang

    (Peking University)

  • Yong He

    (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Nathan Rose

    (Stanford University)

  • Scott Rozelle

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Many countries have undertaken large and high-profile payment-for-ecosystem-services (PES) programs to sustain the use of their natural resources. Nevertheless, few studies have comprehensively examined the impacts of existing PES programs. Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy (GECP) is one of the few pastorally focused PES programs with large investments and long duration, which aim to improve grassland quality and increase herder income. Here we present empirical evidence of the effects of GECP on grassland quality and herder income. Through a thorough and in-depth econometric analysis of remote sensing and household survey data, we find that, although GECP improves grassland quality (albeit to only a small extent) and has a large positive effect on income, it exacerbates existing income inequality among herders within their local communities. The analysis demonstrates that the program has induced herders to change their livestock production behavior. Heterogeneity analysis emphasizes the importance of making sure the programs are flexible and are adapted to local resource circumstances.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingling Hou & Fang Xia & Qihui Chen & Jikun Huang & Yong He & Nathan Rose & Scott Rozelle, 2021. "Grassland ecological compensation policy in China improves grassland quality and increases herders’ income," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24942-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24942-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Xunhuan & Wang, Yongsheng & Wang, Zhaosheng, 2024. "Quantifying the industrial development modes and their capability of realizing the ecological value in rural China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    2. Zeng Tang & Shiqi Guan & Menglin Zhao & Lijia Wang & Ying Liu & Yubing Fan, 2022. "Grassland Transfer and Its Income Effect: Evidence from Pastoral Areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, November.
    3. Xin Nie & Jianxian Wu & Han Wang & Weijuan Li & Chengdao Huang & Lihua Li, 2022. "Contributing to carbon peak: Estimating the causal impact of eco‐industrial parks on low‐carbon development in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1578-1593, August.
    4. Shuwei Sun & Jiamei Niu & Yujun Wang & Hongbo Yang & Xiaodong Chen, 2024. "Exploring the Heterogeneities in the Impacts of China’s Grassland Ecological Compensation Program," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-11, January.
    5. Lingling Hou & Pengfei Liu & Xiaohui Tian, 2023. "Grassland tenure reform and grassland quality in China," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(5), pages 1388-1404, October.
    6. Zhe Cheng & Tianyu Zhao & Tao Song & Li Cui & Xinfa Zhou, 2022. "Assessing the Spatio-Temporal Pattern and Development Characteristics of Regional Ecological Resources for Sustainable Development: A Case Study on Guizhou Province, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Gao, Yuan & Yu, Lu, 2024. "Understanding the impacts of ecological compensation policies on energy poverty: insights from forest communities in Zhejiang, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    8. Feinan Lyu & Ying Pan & LinJun Yu & Xiang Wang & Zhenrong Yu, 2023. "The Impact of Anthropogenic Activities and Natural Factors on the Grassland over the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Inner Mongolia," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, November.
    9. Liu, Min & Xu, Wenli & Zhang, Hangyu & Chen, Huang & Bie, Qiang & Han, Guodong & Yu, Xiaohua, 2022. "Livestock production, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and grassland conservation: Quasi-natural experimental evidence," MPRA Paper 115704, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Jiayu Dong & Zimeng Ren & Xinling Zhang & Xiaoling Liu, 2023. "Pastoral Differentiations’ Effects on Willingness to Accept Valuation for Grassland Eco-Subsidy—Empirical Study of 410 Herder Households in Grass–Livestock Balance Sub-Policy Zones in Inner Mongolia, ," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    11. Feng, Xiaolong & Qiu, Huanguang & Liu, Mingyue & Tang, Jianjun, 2024. "Innovation of grassland ecological governance systems: Synergy between government regulation and grassroots governance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    12. Yang, Fanzheng & Hou, Lingling & Xia, Fang, 2024. "Intergenerational altruism, pessimism bias on tenure insecurity, and sustainable land use: Evidence from household grassland management in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    13. Zhidong Li & Boru Su & Moucheng Liu, 2022. "Research Progress on the Theory and Practice of Grassland Eco-Compensation in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-16, May.
    14. Shrestha, Kripa & Shakya, Bandana & Adhikari, Biraj & Nepal, Mani & Shaoliang, Yi, 2023. "Ecosystem services valuation for conservation and development decisions: A review of valuation studies and tools in the Far Eastern Himalaya," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    15. Chang, Qing & Ma, Wanglin & Vatsa, Puneet & Li, Jian, 2022. "Has the Targeted Poverty Alleviation program improved household welfare in rural China?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 1041-1056.
    16. Caixia Hou & Mengmeng Zhang & Mengmeng Wang & Hanliang Fu & Mengjie Zhang, 2021. "Factors Influencing Grazing Behavior by Using the Consciousness-Context-Behavior Theory—A Case Study from Yanchi County, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-16, October.
    17. Tang, Jianjun & Gong, Jiaowei & Ma, Wanglin & Rahut, Dil Bahadur, 2022. "Narrowing urban–rural income gap in China: The role of the targeted poverty alleviation program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 74-90.
    18. Xunming Wang & Quansheng Ge & Xin Geng & Zhaosheng Wang & Lei Gao & Brett A. Bryan & Shengqian Chen & Yanan Su & Diwen Cai & Jiansheng Ye & Jimin Sun & Huayu Lu & Huizheng Che & Hong Cheng & Hongyan L, 2023. "Unintended consequences of combating desertification in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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