Spatial correction of ecosystem service value and the evaluation of eco-efficiency: A case for China’s provincial level

Abstract

While bringing socio-economic prosperity, rapid urbanization exerts severely impacts on the ecosystem service functions, resulting in unsustainable development. However, the loss of ecosystem services resulting from urbanization are seldom considered in regional sustainable development assessment. This paper aims to apply a super-efficiency slacks-based model (S-SBM) to evaluate the eco-efficiency by considering regional ecosystem service value (ESV). Moreover, an improved dynamic evaluation model, including the adjustment coefficients of natural geographical characteristic, socio-economic development level and resource scarcity, is developed to evaluate China’s provincial ESV in 2014. Based on the analysis of the evaluated dynamic ESV and eco-efficiency, our results show that (1) a total dynamic ESV of 88.60 trillion Yuan was provided in 2014, and the highest ESV provinces mainly distributed northwest and southeast coastal areas, while the lowest ESV provinces were mainly located in North China Plain and central areas; (2) the relationship between ESV and gross domestic product (GDP) was spatially negative, expect for some southeast coastal areas; (3) our evaluated results demonstrate that ESV is a necessary factor in eco-efficiency evaluation. After considering regional ESV, positive changes occurred in almost all northwestern provinces, while southeastern provinces declined; (4) at last, the optimization analysis emphasizes that ESV is an important factor for sustainable development. In sum, the results of this study remind policy makers that they should consider fully regional ecological conditions in the implementation of urban development policies, so as to realize sustainable development goals.