Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
The Grain to Green Project (GGP) has significantly transformed land use and cover in the Chinese Loess Plateau, thereby enhancing ecosystem services. This study evaluates the dynamics of ecosystem service values during and post-GGP implementation and assesses the project's net economic benefit to refine future land restoration policies. We integrated observed land use changes and employed the CLUE-S model to simulate a 2020 land cover scenario without GGP implementation (2020 NoGGP) and three scenarios for 2030. By using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model and statistical data, we monetized ten ecosystem services for each scenario. Findings indicate a marked increase in the monetary value of ecosystem services from 2000 to 2020, with the 2020 NoGGP scenario showing a 57% (USD 2,385 million) decrease in value compared to the actual 2020 outcomes. The net present value from GGP suggests enhanced ecosystem services and monetary benefits. For the 2030 scenarios, our cost-benefit analysis suggests that afforestation provides greater economic returns than grass planting but is associated with lower water yield. These results support the continued implementation of land restoration projects like the GGP and highlight the need for a balanced approach to water provision and fruit production in future planning, as well as appropriate subsidy thresholds for farmers.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Chen et al. (2023) studied this question.