New ecological redline policy (ERP) to secure ecosystem services in China

Abstract

China is facing huge environmental problems, with its current rapid rate of urbanization and industrial-ization causing biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and land resources degradation on a major scale.To overcome management conflicts and secure ecosystem services, China has proposed a new ‘ecologicalredline policy’ (ERP) using ecosystem services as a way to meet its targets. By giving environmental policyredline status, China is demonstrating strong commitment in its efforts to tackle environmental degrada-tion and secure ecosystem services for the future. This is already having impact, as the Chinese Ministry ofEnvironmental Protection and the National Development and Reform Commission are prepared to worktogether to implement the new environmental policy