Abstract: Coastal zone is a sensitive zone where economic and ecological contradictions are the most prominent. It is of great significance to clarify the dynamic evolution of natural capital and to evaluate the amount of ecological compensation for sustainable development of the coastal zone. We quantified the natural capital occupancy of China’s coastal zone from 2009 to 2019 using extended threedimensional ecological footprint model. The geographically and temporally weighted regression model was used to analyze the driving factors. The amount of ecological compensation in 2017 was calculated. The results showed that per capita ecological footprint of China’s coastal areas first increased and then declined, with an overall increase of 42.4% during 2009-2019. The per capita ecological carrying capacity changed slightly, whereas per capita ecological deficit increased by 51.5%. Human activities were the dominant environmental stress. As footprint depth and footprint size continued to increase, the natural capital flow of nearly 9 coastal areas was needed to satisfy their development, and the natural capital stock needed to be consumed or the external stock was introduced to fill the shortfall. Economic development and industrial structure had a great impact on natural capital, with temporal and spatial heterogeneity. The ecological compensation payment area accounted for a relatively large area and the compensation amount varied significantly. By quantifying the utilization pattern and dynamic evolution trend of natural capital in coastal areas, analyzing its influencing factors, and calculating ecological compensation, we can provide decision-making reference for the construction and management of regional ecological civilization.

Key words: natural capital, coastal zone, ecological compensation, ecological footprint.