Ecological damage compensation for coastal sea area uses

Rapid economic growth has resulted in significant ecological degradation in many coastal areas in China. Control measures involving marine ecological damage compensation (MEDC) have been introduced to curb unsustainable development. The study presents a practical framework for developing the MEDC standard. The standard considers spatial variation in ecological services and includes many different types of ocean uses that are common in coastal waters around the world. We illustrate the framework and specific procedures through a case study of Xiamen. Results of our calculation show that damages from many ocean uses to the ecosystems are not adequately compensated under current management regime, and a carefully designed MEDC standard is crucial for sustainable development.