Liu Guihuan, Institute of Environmental Planning, et al.: Improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products and releasing green growth potential

The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reforms and Promoting Chinese-Style Modernization"(hereinafter referred to as the "Decision") adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China regards "improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products" as an important task of "improving the ecological environment governance system" and is also an important part of deepening the reform of the ecological civilization system. By deepening reforms, improving systems and mechanisms, strengthening the role of promising governments and effective markets, and guiding local governments to promote the realization of the value of ecological products according to local conditions, we will continuously release the potential and motivation of green growth.

Deeply understand the core essence of realizing the value of ecological products from both sides of supply and demand

The process of realizing the value of ecological products is the process of transforming protected and potential ecological products into real economic value and increasing ecological well-being to human society. Its connotation is to transform the infinite value contained in a good ecological environment into tangible economic benefits on the premise of strictly protecting the ecological environment, form new economic growth points, and coordinate the promotion of high-level protection of the ecological environment and high-quality economic development.

From the perspective of the supply side of ecological products, by increasing ecological protection and restoration efforts, the increase in ecological and environmental resources can be increased and the sustainable, diversified and high-value supply of high-quality ecological products can be promoted. The government and the market will work together to coordinate and plan the protection and development of ecological products and promote the accelerated development of related industries. From the perspective of ecological product demand, the consumption demand for ecological products has become the driving force for supply-side structural reforms. The increased demand of people for high-quality ecological products has driven the healthy development of related industries, prompting relevant localities to accelerate the green transformation of industries and establish and improve the green supply chain of ecological products., to achieve environmental burden reduction and ecological value added.

Affected by the types of ecological products, the value realization paths of ecological products are different. Material supply ecological products do not require special treatment, and the value of ecological products can be directly transformed into the value of commodities traded in the market. For example, the development of green organic agricultural products, urban leisure agriculture, etc. can attach the value of ecological products to the brand premium of agricultural products.

Cultural service ecological products can be attached to relevant ecological industries and transformed into goods with clear property rights and directly tradable. Value realization means include industrial development models such as eco-tourism and health care research, and the "ecological protection and restoration + industry introduction" model, etc., its value can be determined through indicators such as recreational and health care value, land and property appreciation.

Due to their pure public goods characteristics, it is difficult for regulatory service products to realize their value in accordance with market laws and value laws. Generally, they need to be realized through ecological protection compensation. Governments at all levels or ecologically benefiting areas use financial compensation, park co-construction, and industrial support to purchase ecological products from ecologically protected areas.

Looking at the effectiveness of work promotion from the central government's unified deployment to innovative practice in various places

Under the unified deployment of the central government, the top-level design for realizing the value of my country's ecological products has been continuously improved, and key tasks in various fields have been gradually clarified. According to incomplete statistics, 25 provinces across the country have successively issued policy documents such as implementation plans and action plans to establish and improve the value realization mechanism of ecological products, exploring differentiated paths to realize the value of ecological products based on actual conditions. At present, an implementation system has been basically established in which the central government coordinates, the provinces assume overall responsibility, and cities and counties implement it. A government-led ecological product value realization mechanism with the participation of enterprises and all sectors of society, and market-oriented operation is taking shape.

(1) Preliminary formation of an investigation and monitoring mechanism for ecological products

The ecological product investigation and monitoring mechanism is the basis and prerequisite for carrying out the practice of realizing the value of ecological products. By clarifying the ownership of natural resource property rights and ecological product rights and interests, establishing basic information and product catalogs of ecological products, and implementing dynamic monitoring, it provides support for the realization of the value of ecological products. At present, the natural resources department has basically established a property rights system covering all types of natural resources, and built an institutional system and registration information system for unified confirmation registration of natural resources. The forestry and grass department organizes and carries out comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of national forest and grass ecology, and promotes the compilation of ecological product catalogs. The ecological environment department continues to carry out monitoring and evaluation of ecological conditions across the country and key areas, and continuously improves the "sky, space and land integration" ecological quality monitoring network. Some places are establishing ecological product information cloud platforms in the region based on actual conditions.

(2) In-depth exploration of the value evaluation mechanism of ecological products

In 2022, the National Development and Reform Commission, in conjunction with the National Bureau of Statistics, issued the "Specifications for Accounting Total Ecological Products (Trial)", which clarified the indicator system, specific algorithms, data sources and statistical standards for accounting total ecological products (GEP) in administrative regional units. etc. All localities actively carry out GEP trials and explore and build an evaluation method system that conforms to regional characteristics. According to incomplete statistics, relevant pilot projects at all levels across the country have covered 17 provinces, 50 prefecture-level cities, and more than 160 counties (districts). Zhejiang, Guangdong, Shandong, Beijing and other provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government) have established ecological product catalogs, accounting systems including accounting methods, etc. Beijing and other places have innovatively carried out ecosystem regulation service value (GEP-R) accounting and total ecological product value accounting (VEP) accounting for specific regional units, giving full play to the guiding role of GEP-R in compensation and assessment, and the guiding role of VEP in project development. role.

(3) Continuously expand the business and development path of ecological products

Overall, there are five main types of ecological product value realization paths in various places: "ecological +" industries, ecological product brands, ecological resource rights and interests transactions, ecological protection compensation, and ecological environment-oriented development (EOD) models. Among them, the first two types of paths are mainly to promote the value transformation of material supply and cultural service ecological products, while the third and fourth types of paths are mainly to promote the value transformation of regulatory service ecological products. The EOD model is a comprehensive path.

(4) Opening a new chapter in the ecological protection compensation mechanism and the rule of law

At present, the annual scale of national financial compensation funds has reached about 200 billion yuan. The protection level of important ecosystems and areas with important ecological functions across the country continues to improve. About half of forests and grasslands are included in the scope of compensation, and one-third of counties have received key ecological functions. District transfer payment. Driven by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, 23 provinces have signed cross-provincial river basins horizontal ecological protection compensation agreements, involving 24 cross-provincial river basins (river sections). With the implementation of the "Ecological Protection Compensation Regulations", my country's ecological protection compensation has opened a new chapter in legalization.

(5) Green finance promotes the realization of the value of ecological products

In 2021, the People's Bank of China issued the industry standard for "Environmental Equity Financing Instruments" to promote the formulation of the "Guidelines for the Service Process of Carbon Emissions Pledge Loan Business" and provide a standard basis for regulating the innovative development of domestic carbon financial products. All localities actively promote innovation in financial products and services, and explore the establishment of new models such as "green finance + inclusive finance + rural revitalization" and "guaranteed guarantee + additional forest rights mortgage." For example, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province launched ecological green environment relief liability insurance, Quzhou, Zhejiang promoted "low-carbon loans", Shaanxi Ankang pilot "Selenium-enriched loans", Jiangxi Zixi explores forest redemption mortgage loans, Fujian develops forestry carbon sink index insurance, etc. The mechanism for green finance to ensure the realization of the value of ecological products has gradually developed.

(6) Solidly promote the pilot project of realizing the value of ecological products

On the basis of continuing to promote in-depth pilot projects in Lishui, Zhejiang, and Fuzhou, Jiangxi, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments, has identified 10 areas including Yanqing District in Beijing City as the first batch of national ecological product value realization mechanism pilots, focusing on ecological product value evaluation, sustainable management and development, protection compensation, evaluation and assessment, etc., give pilot areas reform autonomy in accordance with the law and proceduressovereignty, deepen reforms in key areas. As of the end of 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has named seven batches of 240 "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" practice and innovation bases, exploring and forming "keeping green for gold, adding green to increase gold, turning green into gold, and borrowing green to generate gold." There are 8 typical practice models including "four transformation paths and" ecological +"composite industries.

Focus and work suggestions for improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products

Improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products and broadening the path of transforming green waters and green mountains into mountains of gold and silver is a complex systematic project, involving a wide range of areas and strong policy-oriented. It is necessary not only to straighten out relevant systems and mechanisms, but also to provide effective policy supply, and Promote the formation of multi-department work synergy. The "Decision" points out the way forward for improving the value realization mechanism of ecological products, and proposes a reform timetable and roadmap. Therefore, from the perspective of protecting the ecological environment and maintaining national ecological security, the focus of the ecological product value realization mechanism must focus on promoting green and high-quality development, reconstructing a new pattern of coordinated development of urban and rural areas, promoting the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, and creating a beautiful China's construction model and other aspects, promote higher-quality development with a higher level of protection. To this end, the author puts forward the following five suggestions.

Consolidate the basic work and lay solid value to realize the basic chassis.To promote the realization of the value of ecological products, we must first understand the "ecological background" in order to protect and develop ecological products in a targeted manner. Guide all localities to deepen their understanding of the concept and connotation of ecological products, form national and local ecological product catalogs as soon as possible, establish a dynamic monitoring system for ecological products, and timely track the quantity, quality, function, protection, development and utilization of ecological products. Based on the ecological value, economic value and other attribute characteristics of different ecological products, establish and improve the value evaluation and application mechanism of ecological products, and open up the channel for ecological products from "fixed" to "calculated" and then "used". This is ecological product A basic work that is particularly important to realize value.

Strengthen a promising government and guide the synergy and efficiency of various policies.Promote the market-oriented reform of the natural resource property rights system and land, labor, capital, technology and other factors, and strike a good combination of related policies such as land use, industrial development, environmental protection investment, equity transactions, and financial innovation. Coordinate efforts to promote carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth, increase coordinated environmental management efforts, strengthen unified supervision of ecological protection and restoration, and ensure the supply of high-quality ecological products. Promote the positive interaction between the realization of the value of ecological products and ecological protection compensation policies, promote comprehensive ecological compensation, establish a vertical ecological protection compensation mechanism that links the quality and increment of ecological products to fund allocation, and promote the formation of efficient horizontal ecology in supply and consumption places of ecological products. Protect the compensation mechanism, coordinate and promote compensation for ecological environmental damage, so that ecological environmental protectors will not suffer losses, and those who destroy the ecological environment will pay the price.

Cultivate effective markets and increase the motivation of various entities to participate.The value realization mechanism of ecological products is to promote the continuous balance of supply and demand on the premise that ecological products are used at a price, give full play to market efficiency, and open up channels for the supply, trading and consumption of ecological products. Establish a regional linkage mechanism for infrastructure, ecological environment, and industrial development in ecological supply and consumption areas, promote the formation of an ecological environment market in which ecological resources flow freely and interconnected between regions, and continuously expand the trading volume of ecological resource rights. Continue to promote innovation in environmental governance models such as EOD, focus on revitalizing existing capital gains from ecological resources, innovating green financial products, and establishing and improving a complete and effective ecological product value realization chain.

Expand industrial support and activate potential momentum for green growth.The fourth industry of ecological products is an important carrier and practical scenario for the development and operation of ecological products. It takes ecological resources as the core element and ecosystem processes as the main ecological productivity. It focuses on the ecological industrialization part and passes ecological protection and restoration construction, market transactions, and development. Management, etc., covers all economic activities such as ecological product protection, production, processing, manufacturing, circulation, and services, and is an important form of green productivity. It is recommended to improve the top-level design at the national level, guide local governments to give full play to their ecological comparative advantages, accelerate the substantive development of the ecological product fourth industry, and promote the construction of satellite accounts for the ecological product fourth industry accounting under the framework of national economic accounting, so that the industry can be impressive and sensible.

Create a demonstration model and continue to amplify the leading and driving effect.Coordinate and give full play to the role of pilot demonstration carriers in the construction of a beautiful China, rural revitalization, common prosperity, and related industries, strengthen demonstration applications in ecological product value accounting, accurate matching of supply and demand, sustainable business development, protection compensation, evaluation and assessment, etc., and release comprehensive driving effects. Stimulate the vitality of local innovation and creativity, promptly summarize experience, strengthen publicity and promotion, promote ecological utilization in ecologically advantageous areas, and let the practice of realizing the value of ecological products become the driving force for green growth in these areas.

The author Liu Guihuan is the chief expert and researcher of the Environmental Planning Institute of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Wang Xiahui is the deputy chief engineer and researcher of the Environmental Planning Institute of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and Wen Yihui is a senior engineer of the Ecological Protection and Restoration Planning Institute of the Environmental Planning Institute of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.