Evaluation of Ecological and Economic Index in Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone

Abstract

The society and related research fields were paying close attention to make great efforts to promote the construction level of ecological civilization in China. And measuring and evaluating the status of eco-economic development always was the focus and difficulty in current researches. Based on the methods of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the concept of Eco-Factor of Economic Growth and Ecological Efficiency, combined with the fact of research area, the index system of Ecological Economy Index (EEI), which includes social development, economic growth, ecological building, resource use and environmental protection, was built up to measure and evaluate the eco-economic system’s development situation. The weights of all indicators in the EEI system were acquired from the method of expert consultation. All the methods were applied to assess the eco-economic development situation in Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone of Jiangxi Province. The results showed that: (i) The model of EEI could intuitively apply to reflect the eco-economic development situation and coordinate extent of the assessment units in the Poyang Lake Eco-economic Zone, which could provide some scientific guides on finding breakthrough point of evaluating eco-economic level for concerned management departments and policies making organizations. (ii) There were distinct differences of Ecological Economy Index value between the counties, cities or districts. Wannian county was on the best situation with the highest EEI value (EEI=55.74), and Ruichang city was found to be on the worst eco-economic development situation with the lowest EEI value (EEI=28.65). (iii) The developed counties (cities or districts) with high EEI value should improve resource use’s efficiency, protect environment and strengthen ecological construction. The other areas should effectively combine the speed with the quality of economic growth in the process of eco-economic development. (iv) The counties (cities or districts) with low EEI values should develop economics, improve the quality of economic growth, and increase the efficiency of resources use under the same time of protecting environment. (v) The overall score of the EEI value of Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone was on a lower level with 38.37, enhancing environmental protection and resources use level was the main measure in the future. At last, the constructing method of EEI system and some problems were discussed creatively.