Ecological Capital And Its Operation Theory And Application

The world, especially the developing countries, is facing with a fairly tough challenge, i.e. how to gain economical, social and ecological development harmoniously and coincidently. This paper gives a new way by bring up a new concept of Ecological Capital (abbreviated EC). According to a procedure of demand analysis-identification-case studying-new theory innovation-application, the concept of EC is thoroughly defined, and its attributes are summarized. An EC Operation theory is designed and applied into Miyun County case study.EC is a complex consists of elements, their structure and trends of environment quality within a relative boundary-clear ecological-economical-social integrated system, which have ecological services value or abilities to support social production. The value of Ecological Capital presents in three levels, existing value, service value in ecological services, and currency value after transformed. There are triplex attributes, i.e. natural attributes form ecological environment, economic attributes as common capital, new attributes from the interaction of nature and society, and six characteristics, increment in a integrated system, function combination, function competition, opening and inosculating, still but escaping, relative ownership in Ecological Capital.The value of Ecological Capital goes to four direction: public goods, serving inside the system, serving outside the system and serving transferred between inside and outside. The Ecological Capital whose value serving inside the system is the main one operated. Ecological Capital Operation is a series of actions to defend and increase Ecological Capital mainly through transform it into currency. There are four roads to transform, e.g., high environment quality affixed products, to tap high environment quality demanded industry, to bloom lofty ecological touring and to sale in form of integrated package or parts. The process of Operation is a positive feedback circle: transforming into currency- building up Ecological Capital- further transforming. The circle starts up by an input.The theories are applied in Miyun County as a case study. Analysis results show that the county is of better environment quality, rich in Ecological Capital, great in ecological services potential and widespread in Ecological Capital Operation. However, those potentials are waiting for exploitation. A strategy based on ecological agriculture, organic farming, ecological touring, ecological industry and ecological architecture and real estate is accordingly set up, based on the abundant bio-production environmental capital, landscape eco-capital and integrated environmental capital. And the local government already accepts the strategy.Ecological Capital Operation do not necessary work in everywhere. But it does work in specific areas that are rich of Ecological Capital and have relevant markets, just like Miyun County. The concept of Ecological Capital is a complementary to the theory of Natural Capital, and further extended of the concept of general Capital. Ecological Capital Operation can lead a consciousness and initiative of masses to maintain environment, also provides a new evidence for the concept of ecological compensation. Further work need to do in setting up indicators and standards to identify a kind of Ecological Capital, and to calculate the value of Ecological Capital, as well as its transforming. And the Ecological Capital Operation theory can be improved in future study.