Abstract
As one of the most developed and competitive metropolitan areas in the world, the contradiction between resource depletion and sustainable development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GHMGBA) has become a crucial issue nowadays. This paper analyzed the natural capital utilization patterns in GHMGBA during 2009–2016 based on a three-dimensional ecological footprint model. Ecological carrying capacity intensity (ECintensity) was calculated to optimize the accounting of ecological carrying capacity (EC). Ecological footprint depth (EFdepth) and ECintensity were quantitatively investigated and influencing factors were further explored based on a partial least squares (PLS) model. Results showed that GHMGBA had been operating in a deficit state due to the shortage of natural capital flow and accumulated stock depletion. The highest EFdepth occurred in Macao (17.11~26.21) and Zhongshan registering the lowest (2.42~3.58). Cropland, fossil energy and construction land constituted the most to total ecological deficit, while woodland was continuously in a slight surplus. Natural capital utilization patterns of 11 cities were divided into four categories through hierarchical clustering analysis. Driving factors of EFdepth, ECintensity and three-dimensional ecological deficit (ED3D) were mainly students in primary and secondary education, disposable income, consumption expenditure, R&D personnel and freight volume. Our findings could provide guidance for decision-makers to develop resource utilization portfolios in GHMGBA.
Highlights
Natural capital is the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or services to meet human needs
Peng et al [16] conducted a multidimensional “ecology–equity–efficiency” framework integrated with the Gini coefficient of Ecological footprint size (EFsize) and variation coefficient of ecological footprint depth (EFdepth) to characterize the equality of capital flow and stock occupations
Higher per capita EFsize concentrated in regions with abundant resources and low population density, while lower values were more likely to occur in populous areas with scarce utilizable lands
Summary
Natural capital is the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or services to meet human needs. Ecological footprint (EF) model has been applied across various spatial scales by the government and academia to assess regional sustainable development [3,4,5,6]. Borucke et al [7] calculated the natural capital footprint of more than 200 countries and their results showed that most regions were in a state of ecological deficit (ED). Ecological footprint size (EFsize) and ecological footprint depth (EFdepth) were introduced into the three-dimensional ecological footprint (3DEF) model by Niccolucci et al [12,13] to transparently distinguish between natural capital flows and stocks. Natural capital flow and stock utilization and their heterogeneity within different lands in other regions were analyzed and estimated coupled with various prediction models [18,19,20]
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