By Cheng Yu, Research Department of Rural Economy, DRC & Zhang Liang, Research Department of Social Development, DRC

Research report No.67, 2017 (Total 5142) 2017-6-12

Abstract: The transfer of land development rights is an important policy tool for the United States to ensure the effective implementation of land management planning based on environmental objectives. On the basis of strict control on land use, and through a clear delineation of the areas for land development rights undertaking or granting, the United States has made a reasonable settlement of distribution rate of development rights in the areas for land development rights granting, enhanced awards for areas relating to the undertaking of land development rights, and established land development rights bank to promote the cross-area transfer of land development rights. As a result, the United States has established markets for land development rights trading and made market-oriented compensation for great stretches of ecological protection land. At present, due to the lack of practical and effective compensation mechanism in China, it is difficult to rigorously put into effect the land conservation and farmland protection system. Therefore, we need to draw on US experience in land development rights, explore an interactive market mechanism for the protection of urban and rural land, and formulate an intrinsic incentive scheme based on the preservation of the ecological asset value of land so as to protect cultivated land as well as green mountains and clear waters.

Key words: land development rights, ecological compensation mechanism, zoned land management, the United States