Evolution of population, resources, environment and integrated strategy of their development in Shanghai

Abstract

Study on coordiantion among population(P), resources(R), environment(E), and development(D) (PRED) has comprehensive and extensive contents, which serves as the core of sustainable development. Since the 1980s, PRED has been becoming one of the most important regional studies in China. Based on existing research and collected data, this study analyses the course of the PRED evolution in Shanghai during 1978–1995. Seven indicators were selected to assess the evolution characteristics and interaction mechanism of Shanghai PRED, including growth rate of GDP, growth rate of population, growth rate of industry energy consumption etc. These indicators were designed to reflect representativeness, relativity and data availability. This study showed that there was obvious asynchronous among indicators and annual change of single indicator lacked of regularity, coordination between environment and economic remains the main challenge facing Shanghai, and the key readjusted factors will be population growth rate, GDP growth rate and per residential area growth rate. The study further pointed out that plan, structure and system power were equally important for the more coordinate development in Shanghai. Detailed dicussion on the systematic measurement in each aspect of P, R, E, D indicated that higher development level is the essential basis for Shanghai PRED coordination.