Current status of ecological compensation for Bohai Sea reclamation and management countermeasures

Abstract

The Bohai Sea area has the highest intensity of reclamation in China, and this has created a series of ecological problems. It is generally believed that marine ecological compensation is an effective strategy for promoting the sustainable development of the marine economy and the ecological environment in the Bohai Sea reclamation area. However, at present, China is still in the early stages of developing marine ecological compensation mechanisms, and many problems have been exposed stemming from historical issues and the institutions exerting strict control over Bohai Sea reclamation. After analysing the current situation and summarizing the existing policies and laws governing marine ecological compensation for Bohai Sea reclamation, this paper expounds upon the major issues with marine ecological compensation management at present. Management countermeasures are also proposed, such as incorporating ecological compensation for reclamation into territorial spatial planning, perfecting the compensation incentive mechanisms, and constructing multisource financing mechanisms.