Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality

IntroductionThe National Key Ecological Functional Areas (NKEFAs) are location-oriented ecological engineering of China, which rely on the main functional area planning. The co-benefits of ecological product supply and ecological environment improvement of NKEFAs has not been fully assessed in the l...

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Main Authors: Hanyu Chen, Mengyang Hou, Zenglei Xi, Xiao Zhang, Shunbo Yao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1093135/full
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author Hanyu Chen
Hanyu Chen
Mengyang Hou
Mengyang Hou
Zenglei Xi
Zenglei Xi
Xiao Zhang
Xiao Zhang
Shunbo Yao
Shunbo Yao
author_facet Hanyu Chen
Hanyu Chen
Mengyang Hou
Mengyang Hou
Zenglei Xi
Zenglei Xi
Xiao Zhang
Xiao Zhang
Shunbo Yao
Shunbo Yao
author_sort Hanyu Chen
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe National Key Ecological Functional Areas (NKEFAs) are location-oriented ecological engineering of China, which rely on the main functional area planning. The co-benefits of ecological product supply and ecological environment improvement of NKEFAs has not been fully assessed in the literature.MethodsNKEFAs is considered a quasi-natural experiment, and the time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model is used to assess the impact of NKEFAs on carbon sequestration (CS) and environmental quality (EQ) based on the panel data of 330 cities in China from 2001 to 2019. Then, we explore whether the co-benefits of ecological product supply and eco-environment protection can be achieved.Results and discussionNKEFAs can enhance CS and EQ and thus achieve co-benefits for both. NKEFAs can achieve the co-benefits of CS and EQ through territory spatial allocation and labor force aggregation, but industrial structure upgrading only positively mediates the impact of NKEFAs on CS. The co-benefits of CS and EQ are heterogeneous across functional area types, geospatial locations, and quantiles, while only CS at windbreak-sand fixation area, northwestern region, and low quantile regions is enhanced. This study makes a theoretical and methodological contribution to the existing literature on the policy effect assessment of ecological engineering. It also provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the ecological effects of relevant policies in other countries by integrating the co-benefits of ecological products and eco-environment, analyzing regional heterogeneity, and exploring the underlying mechanisms.
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spelling doaj.art-f7f04dbb70c04519aff418f0a12402502023-01-17T05:56:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2023-01-011110.3389/fevo.2023.10931351093135Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental qualityHanyu Chen0Hanyu Chen1Mengyang Hou2Mengyang Hou3Zenglei Xi4Zenglei Xi5Xiao Zhang6Xiao Zhang7Shunbo Yao8Shunbo Yao9School of Economics, Hebei University, Baoding, ChinaResearch Center of Resources Utilization and Environmental Conservation, Hebei University, Baoding, ChinaSchool of Economics, Hebei University, Baoding, ChinaResearch Center of Resources Utilization and Environmental Conservation, Hebei University, Baoding, ChinaSchool of Economics, Hebei University, Baoding, ChinaResearch Center of Resources Utilization and Environmental Conservation, Hebei University, Baoding, ChinaCollege of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, ChinaCenter for Resource Economics and Environment Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, ChinaCollege of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, ChinaCenter for Resource Economics and Environment Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, ChinaIntroductionThe National Key Ecological Functional Areas (NKEFAs) are location-oriented ecological engineering of China, which rely on the main functional area planning. The co-benefits of ecological product supply and ecological environment improvement of NKEFAs has not been fully assessed in the literature.MethodsNKEFAs is considered a quasi-natural experiment, and the time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model is used to assess the impact of NKEFAs on carbon sequestration (CS) and environmental quality (EQ) based on the panel data of 330 cities in China from 2001 to 2019. Then, we explore whether the co-benefits of ecological product supply and eco-environment protection can be achieved.Results and discussionNKEFAs can enhance CS and EQ and thus achieve co-benefits for both. NKEFAs can achieve the co-benefits of CS and EQ through territory spatial allocation and labor force aggregation, but industrial structure upgrading only positively mediates the impact of NKEFAs on CS. The co-benefits of CS and EQ are heterogeneous across functional area types, geospatial locations, and quantiles, while only CS at windbreak-sand fixation area, northwestern region, and low quantile regions is enhanced. This study makes a theoretical and methodological contribution to the existing literature on the policy effect assessment of ecological engineering. It also provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the ecological effects of relevant policies in other countries by integrating the co-benefits of ecological products and eco-environment, analyzing regional heterogeneity, and exploring the underlying mechanisms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1093135/fullNational Key Ecological Function Areascarbon sequestrationenvironmental qualityco-benefitstime-varying difference-in-differencesChina
spellingShingle Hanyu Chen
Hanyu Chen
Mengyang Hou
Mengyang Hou
Zenglei Xi
Zenglei Xi
Xiao Zhang
Xiao Zhang
Shunbo Yao
Shunbo Yao
Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
National Key Ecological Function Areas
carbon sequestration
environmental quality
co-benefits
time-varying difference-in-differences
China
title Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
title_full Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
title_fullStr Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
title_full_unstemmed Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
title_short Co-benefits of the National Key Ecological Function Areas in China for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
title_sort co benefits of the national key ecological function areas in china for carbon sequestration and environmental quality
topic National Key Ecological Function Areas
carbon sequestration
environmental quality
co-benefits
time-varying difference-in-differences
China
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1093135/full
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