Quantitative Research on Regional Ecological Compensation from the Perspective of Carbon-Neutral: The Case of Hunan Province, China

The reduction in CO2 emissions is very important, as highlighted by the issue of global climate warming. As a developing country, China has great differences in regional economic development, which makes it necessary to implement the ecological compensation of regional carbon emissions to coordinate the relationship between regional economic development and environmental protection. Using the ecological system in Hunan Province, China as the research object, this study analyzed and calculated the carbon emissions and carbon sequestration across different industries and different regions of Hunan using ArcGIS and theoretical model calculation methods. Quantitative research on region ecological compensation was undertaken by establishing the ecological compensation coefficient and ecological compensation model based on the carbon-neutral principal. The results showed that there were significant differences in carbon sources and carbon sequestration in the different cities. Out of all the cities investigated, Changsha had the highest carbon emissions and Huaihua had the largest carbon sequestration. In terms of per capita, Xiangtan had the highest carbon emissions and Zhangjiajie had the largest carbon sequestration. Through the quantification of carbon compensation in the cities of Hunan, we found that Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, Hengyang, Yueyang, and Loudi were in a state of ecological deficit, and should pay an amount of ecological compensation, respectively. Meanwhile, the other eight cities (Shaoyang, Changde, Zhangjiajie, Yiyang, Chenzhou, Yongzhou, Huaihua, and Xiangxi) were in a state of ecological surplus; they could receive some ecological compensation, respectively. Our results will provide a reference for areal carbon trading and ecological compensation mechanisms as significant instruments and measures to realize payment for environmental resource services.