Environmental and Ecological Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers in the People's Republic of China: An International Comparative Perspective

<p><span>This paper explores the design, implementation, and impact of intergovernmental fiscal transfers aimed at environmental protection and ecological conservation in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It provides a conceptual overview of conditional fiscal transfers—both traditional and output-based—and examines how these mechanisms are used to align national and local priorities for environmental quality. The study offers a detailed analysis of China’s central-local fiscal transfer system, highlighting the structure, allocation, and objectives of environmental and ecological transfers, and compares China’s approach with international experiences from countries such as Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, and Portugal. The paper concludes by discussing the strengths and limitations of China’s system, emphasizing its performance-oriented grants and the lessons it may offer for global environmental governance.</span></p> <p><span>&nbsp;</span></p>