Researching Into Property Rights System Construction Of China's Environmental Resources

With economic growth and the increase of population, the environmental problems have become increasingly prominent in China. In the face of the environmental crisis that is aggravated progressively, the existing environmental policy must be re-examined, in addition to relying on the executive order to improve and protect the environment, policy innovations are also in need for environmental improvement and environmental protection. The introduction of property rights of environmental resources and construction of property rights system of environmental resources made another innovative for environmental improvement and environmental protection, it can be used as an effective complementary policy to improve environment, thereby helping to solve contradictions between the economic development and ecological environmental protection in China, promoting it to become an environment-friendly, resource-conserving society. As the environment is exhaustible, this paper introduced property rights theory, institution and institutional change theory, transaction costs theory to environmental resource; employed general analysis and case study, normative analysis and empirical analysis, comparative study to illustrate the general theory of property rights system; put forward the basic components when constructing the property rights system of environmental resources in China on the basis of reform of it at home and abroad and of the practical experience. The study in this paper is meaningful: firstly, it will enrich the theory of property rights system and the theory of environmental economics; secondly, it will provide guidance for the environmental improvement and environmental policy-making in China.Chapter one is the introduction. It illustrated the background of this paper, which, with the growing concern on the control of environmental pollution, is taking economic means to control pollution had been paid more attention. And construction of property rights system of environmental resources is a necessary effective complementary policy to improve environment. It also specified the meaning of study, the review of the relevant literature, studying methods, basic framework and main content, innovations and shortcomings, and the definitions of major terms in this paper.Chapter two is the theoretical basis for the property rights system of environmental resources. .Firstly, it introduced three theories of the system——property rights theory, institution and institutional change theory, and transaction cost theory; secondly, it specified the inherent logic among the characteristics of environmental resources, transaction costs, and the arrangement and change of property rights system.Chapter three, four and five are the general theoretical analysis of property rights system of environmental resources. Chapter three discussed the property rights of environmental resources basing on the comparison of environmental rights. And it respectively, discussed the emergence, connotation, nature, subject and object, and content of environmental rights and e of property rights, then made a brief comparison of the two accordingly. Chapter four discussed the basic meaning of property rights system of environmental resources. Firstly, it illustrated the definition of property rights system of environmental resources; secondly, discussed the three important components of it, i.e., the definition of property rights system of environmental resources and allocation system, the trading system of property rights system of environmental resources, the protection system of property rights system of environmental resources; thirdly, analyzed the details of the three components respectively. Chapter five discussed the function of property rights system of environmental resources. There are four main functions of it as the property rights system of environmental resources and the reasonable pricing of environmental resources and the optimal allocation of environmental resources, the property rights system of environmental resources and the technological innovation of environmental improvement, the property rights system of environmental resources and the sustainable growth of economy, as well as the property rights system of environmental resources and equitable income distribution.Chapter six and seven are the empirical study on the reform of the property rights system of environmental resources at home and abroad. Chapter six discussed that of China. Firstly, it described the evolution of the environmental improvement in China, summed up the major policies adopted, and pointed out the plight and major defects of environmental improvement in China. Secondly, it made an empirical study of the reform in China, including a brief illustration of pilot reform in China, analysis of its effects and limitations basing on cases and its experience and lessons. Chapter seven discussed that of foreign countries such as United States. Firstly, it illustrated the background of such reform in U.S.; secondly, it discussed the major content and the mode of the property rights system of environmental resources in U.S.; thirdly, it analyzed the typical case of the reform in U.S. and drew main inspiration from it for the construction of the property rights system of environmental resources in China.Chapter eight and chapter nine are the main content of the construction of the property rights system of environmental resources in China. Chapter eight discussed the three basic principles as efficiency, equity and sustainable development, the four constraints, and the objectives and functions of the construction in China. Chapter nine, firstly, discussed the basic framework of the construction in China, including the definition of property rights system of environmental resources and allocation system, the trading system of property rights system of environmental resources; secondly, provide two possible modes for China, i.e., constructing the trading system of emission permit, and constructing compensation system of forest resources property rights.Chapter ten is a brief summary of the study, and proposes suggestions for further research.The innovations in this paper are mainly reflected in the following aspects:(1) This paper tried to apply the property rights theory to environmental resources, discussed the emergence, connotation and nature, subject and object, and content of the property rights of environmental resources, and then made a definite distinction from that of environmental right.(2) This paper made a theoretical explanation on the property rights system of environmental resources. It made a particular comparison among the definition of property rights system of environmental resources and allocation system the trading system of property rights system of environmental resources, and the protection system of property rights system of environmental resources. And it illustrated the main functions of the property rights system of environmental resources basing on the theoretical discussion of the basic connotation of the property rights system of environmental resources.(3) This paper put forward basic idea of the construction of property rights system of environmental resources in China. This paper held that the construction of the property rights system of environmental resources in China should adhere to the principles of efficiency, equity and sustainable development, avoid the adverse effect of restraints. The basic framework of it should include definition of property rights of environmental resources, trading system of the property rights system of environmental resources, and the protection system of property rights system of environmental resources.(4) Combined with China's national conditions, this paper attempted to put forward two possible models of the construction of property rights system of environmental resources in China. One is constructing the trading system of the property rights system of environmental resources——the trading system of emission permit, and the other one is right to earnings——compensation system of forest resources property rightsDue to limited knowledge, theoretical background and research paradigm, this paper has many shortcomings in the following aspects:(1)Because of environmental resources are public resources, which cover a wide range of content, at the same time, the environmental resources have strong externalities, it is difficult to define the boundary and content of the property rights of environmental resources. Consequently, it is difficult to blend the property rights theory, institution and institutional change theory, and transaction cost theory to the field of environmental resources, which make the theoretical summary of property right of environmental resources lack of breadth and depth, in particular, it reflects in the absence of specific methods and ideas on how to define, allocate and trade the property right of environmental resources.(2) Lacking analysis of the pilot reform in China and practice in foreign countries of the property rights system of environmental resources, especially, lacking the latest datas and cases, there is not better support for the analysis and experience and inspiration drawn from the paper.