Recognizing China’s Marine Ecological Redlines as Institutional Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures for Advancing the 30 × 30 Global Biodiversity Target

Rong Zeng, Wenhai Lu (), Yan Xu, Yangyi Ai and Jie Liu
Additional contact information
Rong Zeng: National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin 300171, China
Wenhai Lu: National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin 300171, China
Yan Xu: National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin 300171, China
Yangyi Ai: National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin 300171, China
Jie Liu: National Marine Data and Information Service, Tianjin 300171, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: Recognizing Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) is a critical pathway for achieving the global “30 × 30” biodiversity target. China pioneered the Marine Ecological Redline (MERL) system to safeguard key marine ecosystems, rare and endangered species, and critical habitats through large-scale, legally mandated spatial regulation. However, MERLs have not yet been systematically assessed against OECM criteria. This study evaluates the institutional attributes and ecological effectiveness of MERLs, using the Pearl River Estuary as a case study, and identifies potential OECMs across non-MERL areas in China. The results show that MERLs fully meet OECM criteria, with the Pearl River Estuary MERLs demonstrating marked improvements in water quality, biodiversity recovery, and control of marine development intensity. We provide the first empirical evidence that MERLs function as a nationally led institutional OECM model, which enriches the typology of OECMs and introduces a novel governance pathway for marine biodiversity protection. Furthermore, eight types of non-MERL spatial units were identified as potential marine OECMs. By implementing policy and economic incentive mechanisms and establishing tiered recognition and dynamic identification systems, China can further biodiversity conservation and contribute to the global 30% marine protection goal.

Keywords: marine ecological redlines; OECMs; institutional; Pearl River Estuary; 30 × 30 target (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8323/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8323/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8323-:d:1751100

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().