Assessing ecological sustainability of China’s three major economic rims by ecological footprint

作者：Zhang Meng; Lu Zhaohua; He Xuwen; Zhang Xiao; Zhang Hongyu; Gu Guangyi; Wu Jiaxing

来源：International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering, 2015, 8(6): 2817-2822.

• Ecological carrying capacity
• Ecological footprint
• Ecological sustainability
• Economy and society
• Heterogeneous composition
• Social and economic development
• Urbanization
• Yangtze river delta

In recent years, the economy and society in eastern China have achieved rapid development, leading to heterogeneous composition and distribution of urban areas, which were lacking of proper urban planning guidance. The unique urbanization processes in three major economic rims (Bohai Economic Rim, Yangtze River Delta Economic Rim, and Pearl River Delta Economic Rim) resulted in severe fragmentation of habitats and environmental exacerbation and generated negative impacts to human well-being. In this research, an assessment model based on ecological footprint (EF) and ecological carrying capacity (EC) was used to detect the trend of urbanization in three main economic rims. In this model, we created four new indicators which could enrich EF and EC with economic and social dimensions, and categorized six types of ecological footprints into three main kinds of ecological footprints. In this case, the ecological sustainability of the three major economic rims is assessed and the status the social and economic development of the three major economic rims is defined. The research results could provide scientific basis and guidance for the policies made to ensure the sustainable development of society and economy in the three major economic rims.

• 出版日期2015