Problems and suggestions of building scientific decision-making and advisory mechanism of national parks—Governance-based perspective postprint

Abstract: National parks are multi-factor, multi-functional and multi-dimensional complexes, which makes them difficult to follow the traditional administration and management modes, and need to explore the construction of a modernized governance system. An important step in enhancing the effectiveness of governance is to establish a reasonable, and efficient scientific decision-making and consultation mechanism. China has made remarkable progress in scientific decision-making and consultation in national parks. However, there are still some problems with the national parks’ decision-making process and effectiveness due to vague definition of authority and responsibility, dependence on departmentalized management paths, and inadequate upward and downward transmission of information between decision-making and consultation, etc. This study draws on the operational experience of decision-making advisory mechanisms of national parks in the United States and France under different systems of centralized governance and polycentric governance, and analyzes the key components of clarifying the boundaries of authority and responsibility of decisionmaking advisory bodies of national parks in China. According to the degree of potential ecological and environmental impact, the degree of potential social impact and the realistic constraints of decision implementation, this study proposes that 26 decision contents, such as the formulation of national park laws and regulations and administrative regulations, need to give scientific experts the right to support the decision making in depth or even a veto, while 19 decision contents, such as the establishment of the boundary between central and local authority and responsibility, need to initiate a multi-party demonstration mechanism. This study also proposes countermeasures for disciplinary coordination, linkage and coordination, and institutional regulation of decision-making consultation.