China’s grassland policies and the Inner Mongolian grassland system

Grasslands play a significant role in the global ecosystem, livestock production and millions of household livelihoods. However, grassland degradation has become a worldwide problem, and rural poverty has become exacerbated in some pastoral areas. The sustainable management and use of grasslands that maintain the productive and adaptive capacity of ecosystems while providing for the well-being of human communities are crucial concerns. In practice, various policy interventions have been initiated by governments all over the world to devote to grassland conservation, livestock production and improving local household livelihoods. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the policy interventions for grassland ecosystems and livestock production in the pastoral areas of China. The conceptual framework for this research is based on Ostrom’s Social-Ecological Systems (SESs) framework. Four specific research questions are addressed. It is hoped that the research findings of this thesis can make a contribution to providing some references for policy development in light of the sustainable management and use of grasslands.