By Li Weiming, Yang Yan, Gu Shuzhong & Gao Shiji, Research Institute of Resources and Environment Policies, DRC; Wang Limao & Qu Qiushi, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research CAS

Research Report, No. 92, 2020 (Total 5836) 2020-4-29

Abstract: Properly handling the contradictions between mining rights and natural reserves has a bearing on the strategic deployment of national ecological civilization, resource security guarantee and the enhancement of government’s governance capacity. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have made continuous efforts to strengthen the protection of natural reserves of all types, act promptly to set redlines for ecological conservation and hold firm to these lines and proactively carry out the sorting and withdrawal of mining rights in natural reserves, providing a sound guarantee for faithfully keeping the bottom line and lifeblood of national eco-security. However, the contradictions between mining rights and natural reserves are becoming increasingly prominent due to the systemic imperfections including the compensation for the withdrawal of mining rights, the definition management of natural reserves, the coordination of planning work among different departments and equitable information sharing. To properly deal with these issues, efforts need to be made in the following aspects. One, work needs to be done to promote the classified treatment of mining rights and their gradual withdrawal in line with the requirements of law-based administration; two, the compensation system for the withdrawal of mining rights needs to be established and enhanced so as to solve the subsequent problems in a proper manner; three, the optimization and adjustment of natural reserves need to be firmly promoted, and a dynamic and differentiated access mechanism for natural reserves needs to be established and refined; and four, a database platform based on a unified county-level planning and bolstered by county, city and province-level administrations needs to be set up so as to realize information-sharing.

Keywords: mining rights, natural reserves, contradictions, policy options