Abstract

Most of China’s resource-based cities are recently threatened by the problems of environmental pollution, resource depletion, and even economic recession. There is an urgent need for these cities to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation through improving resource utilization efficiency and eco-efficiency. This paper quantitatively evaluates the decoupling trends between GDP and environmental damage in major Chinese resource-based cities using big data. To explore the decoupling trends in the development of 115 resource-based cities in China, we develops a model to evaluate the eco-efficiency between economic growth and environmental pollution. Industrial pollutants are used as indicators of environmental degradation and GDP as an index for economic growth. This study finds diverse decoupling levels among the cities and that nearly one-third are developing unsustainably. The cities have encountered serious environmental problems due to past economic policies which have encouraged extensive GDP growth for the past 4 decades. This study demonstrates that the urban development and environmental protection of Chinese resource-based cities are not on a good path. It will be more difficult for the cities with quicker GDP growth to achieve a satisfactory decoupling trend. Therefore, there is an urgent need for industries to undertake resource-conserving and environmental protection measures, and, particularly, endorse technology innovation and the green economy. In order to achieve an overall balanced decoupling in China’s resource-based cities, it is essential for local governments to encourage environmentally friendly behaviors and enhance eco-efficiency when developing the country’s economy. Finally, the findings illustrate significant unbalanced decoupling levels across Chinese resource-based cities.

Highlights

  • With the development of big data, the study of resourcebased cities is more effective, and the research conclusions are more accurate using big data [1]

  • The world, including China, will not be able to meet future demands for minerals, ores, fossil fuels, and biomass if economic growth does not decouple from the rate of natural resource consumption. e Chinese government and the leaders of resource-based cities recognize that the natural environment and resources should not be sacrificed for achieving fast economic growth and are looking for possible solutions. is paper investigates the issues that are related to the sustainable development of these resource-based cities, which, as a special economic group, are playing a key role in China’s economic development

  • Among the 115 resource-based cities, environmental pollution is most serious among oil and gas resource-based cities, with 90% of the cities being at levels C, D, and E. e forest and other resource-based cities are performing better in pollution control with nearly 60% of them being at levels C, D, and E. e coal and metal-based cities account for less cities at levels C, D, and E, 57% and 56%, respectively

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Summary

Research Article

Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation of Decoupling Economic Growth from Environment Costs in China’s Resource-Based Cities. Is paper quantitatively evaluates the decoupling trends between GDP and environmental damage in major Chinese resource-based cities using big data. To explore the decoupling trends in the development of 115 resource-based cities in China, we develops a model to evaluate the eco-efficiency between economic growth and environmental pollution. Is study demonstrates that the urban development and environmental protection of Chinese resource-based cities are not on a good path. It will be more difficult for the cities with quicker GDP growth to achieve a satisfactory decoupling trend. In order to achieve an overall balanced decoupling in China’s resource-based cities, it is essential for local governments to encourage environmentally friendly behaviors and enhance eco-efficiency when developing the country’s economy. The findings illustrate significant unbalanced decoupling levels across Chinese resource-based cities

Introduction
Decline stage
Tongling Xinyu
Economic growth decreases while pollution increases
Hulun Buir
Coal Forest and others
Declining cities
Conclusion and Policy
Full Text
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