Evaluating the Sustainable Development Goals within Spatial Planning for Decision-Making: A Major Function-Oriented Zone Planning Strategy in China

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a reference point in the global policy-making process, with their quantitative evaluation at various scales integrating spatial planning still under exploration. Major Function Oriented Zone (MFOZ) planning in China emerges as an innovative strategy, focusing on ecosystem services to achieve sustainable development. This study takes MFOZ planning as an example, and assesses SDG implementation within the MFOZ framework, focusing on 288 cities. Then, this study analyzes the zoning types of SDG realization status through cluster analysis. Based on this, we explore the influencing factors of the SDGs from the perspective of socioeconomic and environmental characteristics, and ecosystem services, and propose target strategies. The research found that there are four zoning types according to the SDG realization status, including mixed-oriented with high consumption and output (24.3%), non-agriculture-oriented with low consumption and high output (12.5%), agriculture-oriented with low consumption and output (55.9%), and agriculture-oriented with high consumption and output (7.3%) cities. Most cities do not demonstrate high efficiency in resource consumption output, and the realization status of SDGs urgently needs to improve. Socio-economic development during urbanization challenges SDGs, while the traditional environmental measures have limited effects. Ecosystem services could help improve SDGs, including GDP growth rate, and reduce water resource development intensity and carbon emissions. Focusing solely on numerical values of SDGs, such as water efficiency, may harm ecosystem services and go against sustainable development. This research underscores the necessity of adapting SDG strategies to the unique contexts of cities and has practical significance for enabling more targeted and effective strategies for SDG implementation, integrating spatial planning, and aligning local efforts with global sustainability aspirations.