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China Population, Resources and Environment >

2026 , Vol. 36 >Issue 3: 209 - 224

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12062/cpre.20250922

From “pollution control” to “collaborative governance”: evaluating the ecological quality improvement effects of the Xin ’ an River horizontal ecological compensation pilot

  • KONG Fanbin ,
  • LU Yu ,
  • XU Caiyao
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  • 1. College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing Jiangsu 210037, China;
    2. Institute of Digital Forestry & Green Development, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing Jiangsu 210037, China;
    3. College of Economics and Management, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou Zhejiang 311300, China;
    4. Rural Revitalization Academy of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou Zhejiang 311300, China

Received date: 2024-12-19

  Revised date: 2025-09-19

  Online published: 2026-06-05

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Abstract

The Xin’ an River horizontal ecological compensation pilot represents a typical case of China's first institutional exploration of establishing a horizontal ecological compensation mechanism for watershed governance. This practice breaks away from the traditional end-of-pipe governance paradigm centered on water quality compliance and shifts toward an institutional model that integrates overall ecosys-tem functionality with regional collaborative governance. While the policy initially aimed to improve watershed water quality, a key ques-tion remains whether it can further enhance the overall ecosystem service capacity and promote coordinated improvements in ecological quality across upstream and downstream regions—both of which are critical for evaluating its overall effectiveness. This study used panel data from 70 counties in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces between 2007 and 2023 and applied a difference-in-differences (DID) method to assess the effects of the Xin’ an River horizontal ecological compensation on ecological quality at both the watershed and subregional lev-els. It also examined the cumulative effects across different pilot phases, the underlying mechanisms, and the heterogeneity of improve-ments across pilot counties. The results showed that: ① Horizontal ecological compensation significantly improved the overall ecological quality of the watershed, a conclusion that remained robust under multiple verification tests. ② Heterogeneity analysis indicated that the policy significantly promoted ecological quality improvement in upstream areas, but the effect was not statistically significant in down-stream regions. From a watershed-wide perspective, the cumulative policy effects intensified over time. Regionally, as the compensation mechanism was continuously optimized and assessment standards were gradually tightened, the policy's cumulative effects gradually spread from downstream to upstream, fostering more synchronized ecological improvements and facilitating a collaborative governance pat-tern across regions. ③ Mechanism testing revealed that ecological improvements in upstream areas were mainly driven by green industrial transformation and increased agricultural infrastructure, while improvements in downstream areas stemmed from green industrial transfor-mation and enhanced ecological industrialization efficiency. ④ The ecological impact of horizontal ecological compensation varied across different pilot counties. This study provides empirical evidence and policy insights for improving cross-regional ecological compensation systems, promoting collaborative watershed governance, and designing differentiated incentive mechanisms.

Key words： Xin’; an River Basin; horizontal ecological compensation; ecosystem service capacity; policy performance; difference-in-differences method

Cite this article

KONG Fanbin , LU Yu , XU Caiyao . From “pollution control” to “collaborative governance”: evaluating the ecological quality improvement effects of the Xin ’ an River horizontal ecological compensation pilot[J]. China Population, Resources and Environment, 2026 , 36(3) : 209 -224 . DOI: 10.12062/cpre.20250922

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