The Eco-Compensation System
The eco-compensation system is an important component of the system of institutions for building an eco-civilization. It is an effective measure to enforce eco-environmental protection rights and responsibilities, mobilize all parties to participate in eco-environmental protection, and advance the pace of building China's eco-civilization.
In October 2005, the 16th CPC Central Committee, at its fifth plenary session, decided to establish an eco-compensation system in line with the principle that whoever develops resources and profits therefrom must protect them and pay relevant compensation. The 18th CPC Central Committee, at its third plenary session in 2013, set a requirement to implement the system.
In October 2017, at its 19th National Congress the CPC announced the decision to set up diverse market-based mechanisms for eco-compensation. In 2019, the 19th CPC Central Committee, at its fourth plenary session, required full implementation of the systems of compensation for both ecological protection and for eco-environmental damage, and lifelong accountability for damage.
In September 2021, the central authorities published a document on reforming the eco-compensation system, requiring faster progress toward an eco-compensation system based on better interplay between an efficient market and a capable government, with both classified compensation and comprehensive compensation, both vertical (central-local) and horizontal (cross-regional) programs, and both incentives and constraints, along with the effort to raise public awareness of the need to respect, accommodate and protect nature.
At present, China's eco-compensation covers forests, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, ocean regions, rivers and farmlands, regions prohibited from development, and key ecological functional zones.
In addition to payment under government guidance, compensation now can be provided through diverse, market-based channels such as trading of water-use rights, carbon emission rights, and pollution discharge rights, and carbon sink transactions.
The scope of compensation has expanded from individual fields to multiple sectors, and the compensation involving particular river basins has extended from payment among regions within a province to trans-provincial payments to all parties affected. A basic national eco-compensation framework has been set up.
生态保护补偿制度
生态保护补偿制度作为生态文明制度的重要组成部分，是落实生态保护权责、调动各方参与生态保护积极性、推进生态文明建设的重要手段。
2005年10月，中共十六届五中全会首次提出，按照“谁开发谁保护、谁受益谁补偿”的原则，加快建立生态补偿机制。2013年，中共十八届三中全会《决定》提出实行生态补偿制度。2017年10月，中共十九大提出要建立市场化、多元化生态补偿机制。2019年10月，中共十九届四中全会《决定》进一步要求，落实生态补偿和生态环境损害赔偿制度，实行生态环境损害责任终身追究制。
2021年9月，中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅印发《关于深化生态保护补偿制度改革的意见》，要求加快健全有效市场和有为政府更好结合、分类补偿与综合补偿统筹兼顾、纵向补偿与横向补偿协调推进、强化激励与硬化约束协同发力的生态保护补偿制度，推动全社会形成尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然的思想共识和行动自觉。
目前，中国生态保护补偿领域已基本实现禁止开发区域、重点生态功能区等重要区域与森林、草原、湿地、荒漠、海洋、水流、耕地等重点领域生态保护补偿全覆盖。补偿方式由政府主导型逐渐向市场化、多元化转变，积极探索综合运用水权、碳排放权、排污权、碳汇交易等市场化补偿手段。补偿范围从单领域补偿延伸至综合补偿，流域生态补偿从省内补偿扩展到跨省补偿，国家生态补偿格局基本建立。