Ecological Security Evaluation Algorithm for Resource-Exhausted Cities Based on the PSR Model

Abstract

Today, resource depletion threatens a number of resource-based cities in China. The ecological security problem caused by the long-term exploitation of natural resources is a key issue to be solved in the development of resource-exhausted cities. Using 23 indicators, this study evaluated the ecological security status and development trends of 21 resource-exhausted cities in China from 2011 to 2017. The results showed that from 2011 to 2015, the overall ecological security of this type of city was low, with over 60% of the cities at an unsafe level. However, ecological security improved rapidly after 2016, and by 2017, all of the cities had reached the critical safety level. The top 10 indicators of ecological security included industrial sulfur dioxide emissions, water supply, agricultural fertilizer application, and forest coverage. These 10 indicators’ cumulative contribution to ecological security was 48.3%; among them, reducing industrial sulfur dioxide emissions contributed the most at 5.7%. These findings can help governments better understand the ecological security status of resource-exhausted cities, and it can provide a reference for the allocation of funds and other resources to improve the ecological safety of these cities.