Abstract: Establishing a cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanism for river basins is an important approach to coordinating basin governance and protection. Since the pilot implementation of the first cross-provincial ecological compensation in the Xin’an River basin in 2012, thirteen cross-provincial river basins in China have established ecological compensation mechanisms. Since the implementation of the cross-provincial transverse ecological compensation mechanism in the Yangtze River basin, the level of cross-provincial basin governance has significantly improved. However, the establishment and implementation of cross-provincial transverse ecological compensation mechanisms still face challenges such as limited incentive effects, insufficient basin coordination, and restricted water quality compensation standards. From a management perspective, we analyze the scientific issues related to cross-provincial transverse ecological compensation and clarify the core principles of cross-provincial transverse ecological compensation mechanism. To strengthen incentive effects and promote coordination, we put forward suggestions to promote the necessary incentive functions for cross-provincial transverse ecological compensation, to leverage the coordinating mechanisms in the Yangtze River basin, and to establish a compensation benchmark system that fits the characteristics of the resources in the Yangtze River basin. These recommendations provide a reference for the improvement of a comprehensive cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanism in the Yangtze River basin.

Key words: transverse ecological compensation in river basin, coordination mechanism, river basin management, legislation of ecological compensation, compensation standard system, Yangtze River Basin