China’s ecological conservation redline: A solution for future nature conservation

Globally, continuing environmental degradation is leading many countries to strengthen their systems of protected areas. However, this may not be sufficient to halt degradation and conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. To supplement its growing system of protected areas, the Chinese governme...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ambio 2020-09, Vol.49 (9), p.1519-1529
Main Authors: Gao, Jixi, Wang, Yan, Zou, Changxin, Xu, Delin, Lin, Naifeng, Wang, Lixia, Zhang, Kun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmospheric Sciences
Biodiversity
Conservation
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecological effects
Ecology
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Encroachment
Environment
Environmental degradation
Environmental economics
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Environmental Management
Environmental security
Nature conservation
PERSPECTIVE
Physical Geography
Protected areas
Security
Sustainable development
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Globally, continuing environmental degradation is leading many countries to strengthen their systems of protected areas. However, this may not be sufficient to halt degradation and conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. To supplement its growing system of protected areas, the Chinese government is adopting a strategy of Ecological Conservation Redlines (ECRs). The ECRs define limits to human encroachment into ecologically sensitive and vulnerable areas and enforce strict conservation in order to guarantee national ecological security. ECRs are integrated in their design, are based on sound science, and provide a systemic management mechanism. ECR supports the formation of a comprehensive ecological conservation system that will lead to effective conservation for the most ecologically valuable and fragile ecosystems. The ECR approach seeks to improve China’s ecological security and guide nature conservation in the future. It could also provide a valuable example of an effective approach for improving nature conservation worldwide.
ISSN:0044-7447
1654-7209
DOI:10.1007/s13280-019-01307-6