Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, West Donggang Rd 320, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, China.
Environ Manage. 2013 Jul;52(1):209-20. doi: 10.1007/s00267-013-0077-x. Epub 2013 May 29.
The Ecological Water Transfer and Rehabilitation Project in the arid inland area of northwest China is an important measure in restoring a deteriorated ecosystem. However, the sustainability of the project is affected by many socio-economic factors. This article examines the attitudes of the local populace toward the project, its impact on the livelihood of the people, and the positive effects of water-efficient agricultural practices in Ejina County. Related data were collected through questionnaire surveys and group discussions. The results identified three critical issues that may influence the sustainability of the project in the study area. The first issue relates to the impact of the project on the livelihood of local herdsmen. The potential for the sustainability of the project is compromised because the livelihood of the herdsmen greatly depends on the compensation awarded by the project. The second issue is that the project did not raise the water resource utilization ratio, which may undermine its final purpose. Finally, the compensation provided by the project considers losses in agriculture, but neglects the externalities and public benefit of eco-water. Thus, appropriate compensation mechanisms should be established and adopted according to local economic, environmental, and social conditions. Some recommendations for improving the sustainability of the project are provided based on the results of this study.
中国西北干旱内陆区生态调水与修复工程是恢复恶化生态系统的重要举措。然而，该项目的可持续性受到许多社会经济因素的影响。本文通过问卷调查和小组讨论的方式，考察了当地民众对该项目的态度、项目对民众生计的影响以及额济纳旗节水农业实践的积极影响。研究结果确定了三个可能影响项目可持续性的关键问题。第一个问题与项目对当地牧民生计的影响有关。由于牧民的生计主要依赖项目补偿，因此项目可持续性的潜力受到影响。第二个问题是，项目没有提高水资源利用率，这可能会影响项目的最终目的。最后，项目提供的补偿考虑了农业损失，但忽视了生态水的外部性和公共利益。因此，应根据当地经济、环境和社会条件，建立和采用适当的补偿机制。本文根据研究结果提出了一些提高项目可持续性的建议。
