An integrated spatial-legal diagnosis of governance barriers to green corridor implementation in China’s Gan River Basin
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Fragmentation of urban habitats necessitates governance that spatially aligns ecological requirements with legal structures. This study conducts a systematic diagnostic review of governance blockages to the establishment of a green corridor in China’s rapidly urbanising Gan River Basin (GRB) to identify governance disconnects. Synthesis of ecological datasets (2000–2020) and policy documents (2010–2025) underlies our spatial-legal diagnostic framework. We identify a fundamental spatial-legal disconnect: key fragmentation patterns—as evidenced by a 76.78% increase in patch density— are mismatched with legally enforceable measures designed to halt fragmentation and promote connectivity through instruments such as the Ecological Protection Red Line (EPRL). Provincial policies prioritise economic development over ecological corridors, while corridor science (e.g. minimum-width thresholds) remains disconnected from binding zoning tools. Our diagnostic framework underscores governance inadequacies arising from the misalignment between the dynamic, evolving nature of ecological metrics and the rigid, fixed characteristics of legal frameworks. Bridging this gap requires an Adaptive Governance Framework comprising legally defined corridor zones, ecological easements, and cross-sectoral oversight that translates the ‘connectivity’ principles into ‘actionable governance instruments,’ with implications for rapidly developing watersheds worldwide.
Authors: Md. Ziaul Islam, Zhiyu Huang
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,890
Funder: Nanchang University
OpenAlex ID: W7128356712
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