Study on the Realization of Freshwater Ecosystem Services from the Perspective of Consumer Willingness to Pay in China

Abstract

The realization of freshwater ecosystem services value plays a vital role in the survival of human beings and the sustainable development of fisheries, and this process is inseparable from the support of consumers. This paper decomposes freshwater ecosystem services in multiple dimensions. From the perspective of consumers’ willingness to pay for ecosystem services, using the survey data of 821 consumers in China, the influence of various dimensions of freshwater ecosystem services on consumers’ willingness is explored by the structural equation model. The results show that: (1) consumers already have a certain awareness of freshwater ecosystem services, but the proportion of consumers willing to pay extra for them is not high; (2) the individual characteristics (age, gender, education, and income ) affect consumers’ willingness to pay for freshwater ecosystem services value, but the impact degree is not high; (3) regulating, cultural, and provisional servers functions of freshwater ecosystem services significantly affect consumers’ willingness to pay, especially freshwater ecosystem services’ role on regulating carbon emissions, controlling algal biomass, enhancing local fishery culture and improving leisure and leisure entertainment services. This study is helpful to deeply understand consumers’ willingness to pay for various dimensions of freshwater ecosystem services and provide more targeted and detailed guidance for realizing it.