Emergy Analysis and Ecological Spillover as Tools to Quantify Ecological Compensation in Xuchang City, Qingyi River Basin, China

As an effective means to coordinate cost–benefit allocation of ecological protection between upstream and downstream cities, compensation is often used improve collaborative basin-wide freshwater resources management. Yet, due the complex relationships ecosystem services, calculating eco-compensation not easy task. We spillover (the amount local services in region thus flows areas) emergy analysis determine that city Xuchang should pay Xinzheng (Qingyi River Basin, China) from 2010 2014. Eco-compensation was determined by deducting local, self-supplied City, calculated using ecological-water-footprint-based analysis, total Xuchang, monetized accordingly. The results showed decreased 2014 and, thus, relied more on flowing Xinzheng. a result, increased 990 million Chinese Yuan (¥) ¥509 billion 2014, mostly demands for water purification reduced precipitation around Xuchang. This method can be further enhanced introducing larger datasets replicated elsewhere accurately compensation, ensuring collaboration towards sustainable management resources.