Capita Ecological Deficit Research Articles

Study on the Ecological Compensation Standard in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China under the Perspective of Natural Capital Supply and Demand

The fundamental component of the ecological compensation system, as well as the crucial basis for its efficient functioning, is calculating the ecological compensation amount and establishing the ecological compensation standard. This study integrates the ecological footprint with natural capital monetization and other methods by introducing a natural capital accounting system. From the standpoint of natural capital supply and demand, it also builds an accounting framework for ecological compensation standards that is standardized, dynamic, and regionally differentiated while taking local socioeconomic aspects into account. We determined the amount of ecological compensation by using Xinjiang as the research object and calculating and analyzing the features of regional and temporal changes in the monetary and physical quantities of natural capital in Xinjiang from 2010 to 2020. The findings show that from 2010 to 2020, Xinjiang’s ecological footprint increased by 1.26 times in physical terms and 1.21 times in monetary terms and that its ecological carrying capacity increased by 4.13% in physical terms and 9.42% in monetary terms. The ecological deficit continues to grow in physical and monetary terms, with a per capita ecological deficit in 2020 of 19.92 s-nha/cap and 70,100 CNY/cap in physical and monetary terms, respectively. The amount of ecological compensation required to be paid in Xinjiang increased from CNY 5659 million to CNY 10,259 million, and the per capita ecological compensation payment standard increased from 259.42 CNY/cap/yr to 396.11 CNY/cap/yr. In summary, Xinjiang’s natural capital supply is insufficient to meet the demand for consumption, and the ecological deficit is growing with time, necessitating the payment of ecological compensation. The study’s results lay the foundation for formulating and implementing ecological compensation policies in Xinjiang and provide theoretical support for constructing ecological civilization in Xinjiang. In addition, the ecological compensation accounting framework constructed in this study organically integrates natural capital theory, ecosystem services, and socioeconomic influencing factors, which enriches the methodology of accounting for ecological compensation standards, and, at the same time, can be used as a paradigm of a dynamic and equitable ecological compensation accounting framework to further promote its use at different scales and regions.

Measuring and decomposing natural capital use in Xinjiang from a regional-industry perspective

Accurately portraying the mechanism of the flow of natural resource consumption between regions and its impact on ecology is of crucial value in deepening the understanding of the coordinated relationship between population, resources, environment and development. Consequently, this promotes the sustainable development of the natural economy and society. Based on a regional-industrial perspective, this study used a localized three-dimensional ecological footprint model to measure and decompose natural resources in Xinjiang from 2005 to 2020. In doing so, the study clarified the supply, demand, and flow utilization of natural capital in Xinjiang, the balance of spatial and temporal allocation of resources, the coupling between economic growth and resource consumption, and the coordination between industrial structure and ecological environment. The results showed that (1) Xinjiang's per capita ecological deficit grew from 2.096 to 11.667 in 2005–2020. Moreover, the energy footprint was a decisive part of the ecological deficit throughout the study period. Furthermore, the trend of increased ecological pressure was higher in northern and eastern Xinjiang than in southern Xinjiang. (2) The overall Gini coefficient of Xinjiang's ecological carrying capacity was at the critical value of spatial equilibrium (0.4), with differences between the groups: Northern & Southern Xinjiang > Northern & Eastern Xinjiang > Eastern & Southern Xinjiang. The reasons for this inter-regional economic disparity are related to fiscal expenditure/GDP, level of urbanization, and regional industrial output. Overall, the decoupling relationship between environmental pressures and economic growth was optimistic. (3) From an industrial perspective, the levels of industrial structural efficiency and the industrial ecological harmony index were still relatively low, but the overall trend was on the rise. (4) Resource endowment, economic development, consumption structure, and population had significant driving effects on the ecological footprint, whereas environmental protection, science, and technology could inhibit its growth to a certain extent. This study aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of the current situation and problems of natural resource use in Xinjiang and provide theoretical and practical references for sustainable development in the region.

Exploration of Rural Agroforestry–Pastoral Complex Systems Based on Ecological Footprint*—Taking Zhagana in Yiwa Township as an Example

Since 2010, with the rapid development of tourism in Zhagana, Yiwa township, problems with the agroforestry–pastoral complex system and economic development in Zhagana have come to the fore. In order to investigate the sustainability of the agroforestry–pastoral complex system, the ecological footprint model was used to analyse the sustainable development of the ecosystem in Yiwa township from 2005 to 2020 and the ecological security changes in Zhagana from 2010 to 2020 through examining the ecological footprint intensity, the ecosystem diversity index and the ecosystem development capacity index. The results of the study show that the per capita ecological footprint of Yiwa township showed an overall decreasing trend between 2005 and 2020, and the per capita ecological deficit also showed a decreasing trend. Forest land was the most important component of the ecological footprint per capita, and grassland was the most important component of the ecological carrying capacity per capita. The footprint depth tended to increase and then decrease, and the footprint width tended to decrease, with a gentle increase from 2010. The ecological pressure index showed an overall decreasing trend, and the ecological sustainability index showed a sudden upward fluctuation after 2016. Overall, the ecological economy of Zhagana has some capacity for development, but there is a high level of ecological pressure.

Ecological security assessment based on ecosystem service value and ecological footprint in the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration, China

The ecological environment in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomeration has been affected by the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, such as the urbanization lags behind industrialization and the level of town construction is backward, resulting in ecological and environmental problems. Thus, this paper detected the ecological security (ES) in the PRD urban agglomeration through the ecological footprint (EF) method, providing a reference for regional ES evaluation. Equivalence factor and yield factor were first calculated based on the ecosystem services value (ESV) for EF calculation. Then, we established the ES evaluation index system through EF, including per capita ecological deficit (ED), ecological footprint diversity index (EFDI) and ecological pressure index (EPI). The results showed that the difference between equivalence factor and yield factor for various land type was observed in the study region. Water regions had the largest equivalence factor, with the value of 2.48, indicating that human activities were most affected by water. Grassland has the highest biological production capacity as the yield factor of which is the highest, with the value of 4.36 in 2020. Temporally, the per capita EF in the PRD urban agglomeration has been increased from 2000 to 2020, while the per capita ecological carrying capacity (ECC) has been decreased over time, indicating that the ecological pressure is rising because of human activities. Spatially, the per capita EF and the per capita ECC show a spatial pattern of “low in the middle and high around”. In addition, the per capita ED shows an increasing trend, reaching 0.11 hm2/capita by 2020. The EFDI has decreased by 0.26, indicating that the richness and fairness of the ecosystem are declining. The ES is in “not safe” and “extremely unsafe” level in 2020, which has threatened the ecological environment in the region. Therefore, the ecological environment in this region is deteriorating, restricting sustainable development. There is no doubt that the region needs to strengthen environmental protection and balance the relationship between economy and ecology. If ecology is not taken seriously, the ED will grow and the insecurity of the ecological environment will continue to increase. The current state of the ecological environment in the PRD urban agglomeration is only a microcosm of the ecology in many small and medium scale regions. The results of this paper are useful for providing ideas for EF and ES analysis of other regions.

Evaluation and analysis of ecological security based on the improved three-dimensional ecological footprint in Shaanxi Province, China

The increase in human activities has led to a series of ecological issues such as ecological imbalance, environmental pollution and resource depletion. Developing a comprehensive, applicable and simple ecological security assessment system is critical for determining the current state of the regional ecological environment and formulating sustainable development strategies. Therefore, an integrated ecological security index was established in this study based on entropy method by incorporating the ecological pressure index (EPI), ecological utilization efficiency (EUE), ecological and economic coordination index (EECI) and utilization ratio of capital stocks to flows (Rflowstock). The ecological security of Shaanxi Province from 2000 to 2019 was analyzed from single and comprehensive perspectives. The results showed that (1) during 2000–2019, the per capita ecological deficit of Shaanxi first increased at an average annual rate of 105.75 %, and then decreased at an average annual rate of 3.26 %, reaching a peak of −1.815 nha/cap in 2016. And the sequence of ecological deficit of three regions in Shaanxi was Guanzhong > Northern Shaanxi > Southern Shaanxi. Only Hanzhong, Shangluo and Ankang had an ecological surplus in 2019, whereas the remaining cities were in deficit. (2) Shaanxi’s ecological footprint depth increased from 1.52 to 2.86 in 20 years, indicating that capital flow is insufficient to meet the ever-increasing consumer demand, and the capital stock has been continuously consumed. In 2019, the ecological footprint depth of the cities in Shaanxi ranked from high to low as Weinan (12.69) > Xianyang (9.98) > Tongchuan (7.39) = Yulin (7.39) > Xi'an (4.50) > Baoji (3.01) > Yan'an (2.08) > Hanzhong (1.34) > Shangluo (1.21) > Ankang (1.11). (3) Although Shaanxi’s EUE continued to improve, the EPI, EECI and Rflowstock indicated that the ecological situation of Shaanxi was gradually deteriorating. (4) From 2000 to 2019, Shaanxi’s IESI increased by 54.55 %, exhibiting the spatial distribution of Guanzhong > Northern Shaanxi > Southern Shaanxi. Only the IESI of Hanzhong, Ankang and Shangluo showed a downward trend, indicating that the level of ecological security was strengthening in these regions. The findings will help local governments develop and implement regional character-based policies in support of regional sustainable development. Moreover, this study provides a framework for evaluating ecological security with broad coverage, simple operation and comparable results.

Study on sustainable developments in Guangdong Province from 2013 to 2018 based on an improved ecological footprint model

Aiming at the ecological footprint model, the traditional trade adjustment method only considered the international trade process at the urban scale, ignoring the trade footprint generated by domestic trade and indirect trade in various products. This paper adopts the urban-scale ecological footprint model based on the macro-trade adjustment method to calculate the trade adjustment coefficient of biological products and the energy trade adjustment coefficient respectively to correct the trade footprint. The results showed that the per capita ecological deficit showed a straight upward trend, from 0.07351 hm2 in 2013 to 0.15472 hm2 in 2018. From 2013 to 2018, the per capita ecological footprint of Guangdong Province was greater than the per capita ecological carrying capacity, and the ecological economic system of Guangdong Province was in an unsustainable state. According to the trade ecological footprint, Guangdong Province was a completely foreign resource and service exporting city, which was consistent with Guangdong Province’s own economic development direction; the analysis results of the ecological product trade footprint were more consistent with the current city positioning of biological resource products of each city, and the energy indirect trade footprint. The improved ecological footprint model could more accurately assess the true status of ecological vitality above the urban scale.

基于改进三维生态足迹模型的洞庭湖区生态可持续时空演化研究

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 基于改进三维生态足迹模型的洞庭湖区生态可持续时空演化研究 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202106161595 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家社会科学基金项目（15BJY051）；湖南省水利科技项目（2015-254-19）；长沙理工大学水利工程学院研究生科研创新项目（2020-05） Temporal and spatial evolution of ecological sustainability in Dongting Lake area based on the improved three-dimensional ecological footprint model Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:洞庭湖是长江流域重要的调蓄湖泊，也是中国重要的农产品主产区。科学评估洞庭湖区生态可持续状态，揭示其时空演化特征，对探究其生态可持续影响因素与作用机理，降低生态赤字具有重要意义。基于碳足迹与生态足迹理论构建了改进的三维生态足迹模型，填补了化石能源无法核算生态承载力的问题，同时调整了不同土地利用类型的参数因子。在对洞庭湖区25个区县进行可持续发展的动态评价分析中，计算了2000-2019年生态赤字、足迹广度与深度的时空分布特征。研究结果表明：（1）近20年来洞庭湖区的人均生态足迹增长速度远高于人均生态承载力，致使人均生态赤字在时间维度上不断增大，空间维度上呈湖滨向周边地区扩散的趋势；（2）洞庭湖区除林地之外的土地利用类型均存在自然资本存量的消耗，且表现为高生态赤字；（3）三次产业结构的分配、土地利用的变化、居民对生活质量的提高以及生态保护政策的有效实施等均会对洞庭湖区的可持续发展产生较大影响；（4）改进后的化石能源账户相较于传统账户的计算方法更能反映真实的碳排量与碳吸收量。研究以期为洞庭湖区土地利用、生态保护以及促进社会经济可持续发展提供科学参考。 Abstract:Dongting Lake is not only an important regulation and storage lake in the Yangtze River Basin, but also a major agricultural product producing area in China. We evaluated the ecological sustainable development status of Dongting Lake area scientifically and revealed the characteristics of temporal and spatial evolution of the region, which could be used to explore the influencing factors and mechanism of the ecological sustainability of the Dongting Lake area. At the same time, this study reduced the ecological deficit of Dongting Lake area. The improvement of three-dimensional ecological footprint was mainly based on carbon footprint calculation method and ecological footprint theory, which solved the question that ecological carrying capacity cannot be calculated in the fossil energy account. In addition, the equilibrium factor and yield factor of Dongting Lake area were adjusted according to the concept of "provincial hectare". Finally, the dynamic evaluation and the analysis of sustainable development of 25 counties in Dongting Lake Ecological Economic Zone, the per capita ecological deficit, the breadth and depth of per capita ecological footprint from 2000 to 2019 were calculated. The main results could be concluded as follows:(1) During the 20-year study period, the per capita ecological footprint in Dongting Lake area increased faster than the per capita ecological carrying capacity, which caused the per capita ecological deficit increased in the temporal dimension. Meanwhile, the spatial dimension showed the trend of diffusion from the center to the periphery of Dongting Lake. (2) Among all land use types in Dongting Lake area, the forest land wasthe only account of ecological surplus. All accounts of the cultivated land, grassland, water area, construction land and energy displayed high ecological deficit. (3) The distribution of three industrial structures, the change of land use, the improvement of residents' quality of life and ecological environment policies were important influencing factors in the study area. (4) Compared with the traditionally ecological footprint calculation method, the carbon emission and carbon absorption calculated by the improved three-dimensional ecological footprint model are closer to the real value. The research was expected to provide scientific reference for land use, ecological protection, promoting social and economic sustainable development in Dongting Lake area. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Assessment of physical quantity and value of natural capital in China since the 21st century based on a modified ecological footprint model

Natural capital accounting is an essential prerequisite for the harmonious development of human beings and nature and benign interactions between economy and environment. Although the ecological footprint has significantly contributed to sustainability evaluation for many years, the traditional ecological footprint model is limited by lack of value accounting, incomplete account content, neglect of multi-functions of land, and geographical spatial heterogeneity. These limitations reduce the universality of this model. To improve the value accounting of the ecological footprint model, this study takes national hectares (nha) as the measurement unit and includes the freshwater and pollution footprints. The dynamic changes of natural capital from 2000 to 2018 were calculated and analyzed in 31 Chinese provinces. The main findings are summarized here. China's physical quantity of ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity, and ecological deficit in 2018 was 4.03, 0.79, and −3.24 billion nha, respectively. The energy account contributed most of the physical quantity in the ecological footprint (72.12% of the total). From 2000 to 2018, the physical quantities of the per capita ecological footprint and the per capita ecological deficit increased at 5.49% and 10.08% per annum, respectively, while the physical quantity of the per capita ecological carrying capacity decreased by 0.55% per annum. The physical quantities of the per capita ecological footprint and per capita ecological deficit were spatially distributed, reducing in the order of East > Central > West. The spatial distribution of the physical quantity of the per capita ecological carrying capacity showed the opposite trend. By 2018, China's ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity, and ecological deficit were valued at 18.09, 12.44 and CNY −5.65 trillion, respectively. Over the 2000–2018 period, the per capita ecological footprint and ecological carrying capacity increased by 495 and CNY 370 per annum, respectively, while the per capita ecological deficit expanded at CNY −125 per annum. The biological account contributed approximately 59.53% of the value quantity of the ecological footprint. Since the twenty-first century, the cumulative effect of excessive consumption has placed increasing pressure on China's ecosystems. On mainland China, only Tibet showed an ecological surplus in 2018. The ecological pressure index decreased in the order of East > Central > West. As Western China has developed extensively and its ecological deficit is rapidly expanding, this region deserves special attention. The most ecologically challenging regions in China are Shanghai, Tianjin, and Beijing. In contrast, Jilin, Qinghai, and Tibet impose low ecological pressure in China. These findings contribute to the standardization and localization of the ecological footprint model in China and provide a reference for regional resource management and ecological construction.

Dynamics of three-dimensional ecological footprint of Zhejiang coastal zone and its influencing factors based on GTWR model

Clarifying the consumption of local natural capital stock and natural capital flow and its influencing factors can help alleviate the tension between the socio-economic development of the coastal zone, natural resources, and the ecological environment, and promote regional coordinated and sustainable development. Based on the two-dimensional and three-dimensional ecological footprint evaluation models, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of ecological footprint in the coastal zone of Zhejiang Province from 2006 to 2016, and explored the regional natural capital stock and capital flow occupancy based on footprint depth and footprint width. We analyzed the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of its influencing factors using a geographically and temporally weighted regression model. The results showed that ecological crisis in the coastal zone of Zhejiang Province deepened during the study period. The average per capita ecological deficit was 3.5 hm2·cap-1, and the per capita ecological deficit increased by 15.5%. Among them, the contribution of energy consumption account to the per capita ecological footprint was greater than that of the biological resources account. The per capita ecological footprint of each county showed an increasing trend, with significant spatial variation. The coastal zone of Zhejiang Province mainly consumed the natural capital stock, with a significant inhibitory effect on the renewal of natural capital flows. The consumption of natural capital stock was 14.87 times that of capital flow in 2016. Urban scale, economic development level, and people's income level had positive impacts on the ecological footprint of coastal counties of Zhejiang Province, while fishery production had negative effect on the ecological footprints, with transition trend to a positive one. The influence mechanism of the three factors had significant spatial and temporal differentiation.

Ecological security assessment of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration based on an adapted ecological footprint model

The acceleration of urbanization and industrialization has led to new ecological security (ES) risks for urban agglomerations in developing countries. The level of ES with the goal of improving adaptive capacity is becoming the basis for space demand regulation and coordinated development of ecological economy. In relation to the actual socio-economic development of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration (GPUA), three sub-accounts covering domestic water, production water and eco-environment water were added to the adapted ecological footprint model to reflect the underestimated water demand in the GPUA. Based on an analysis of the per capita ecological deficit and the dynamic changes in each account in the GPUA from 2005 to 2017, the ecological pressure index and eco-economic coordination index were used to evaluate the ES level of GPUA, and the footprint depth and footprint size were used to evaluate trends in the state of ES. The results show that (1) the GPUA water resource account is the second largest contribution account to the ecological footprint; (2) the GPUA has been at the 6th ES level, “completely unsafe”, since 2005; and (3) based on the three-dimensional ecological footprint, the GPUA needs 4.76 times current area to meet its resource consumption level, indicating that ecological insecurity levels will not improve. Therefore, improving the water resources management system, controlling the sources of atmospheric pollution, and strengthening the zoning of functional lands are recommended. Quantitatively analysing the relationships among the ES level, various resources environmental and economic activities provides a scientific basis for improving the resilience level of urban agglomerations in response to ecological changes.

Research on Sustainable Development of Xi’an City Based on ecological Footprint Model

This paper evaluates the sustainable development of Xi’an city with the ecological footprint method. Based on the ecological footprint method, it calculates the per capita ecological footprint of Xi’an city from the year 2000 to 2017. With the calculation result, the paper forecasts the per capita ecological carrying capacity and per capita ecological deficit, and draws the following conclusion: during the study period, ecological deficit occurs every year, and the ecological deficit in each year exceeds global average per capita ecological deficit. Besides, both ecological footprint and ecological deficit have a tendency to increase year by year, and the growth rates of both are higher than the growth rate of ecological carrying capacity. According to the calculation results of ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity and ecological deficit of Xi’an city from the year 2000 to 2017, the GM (1, 1) model is used to predict the above three indicators. The predicted results show that the load of ecological environment in Xi’an region is over the ecological carrying capacity caused by the production and living activities of human beings. The resources and environmental system are under great pressure, and the regional development mode is in an unsustainable state. It is a necessity to reduce ecological footprint by improving industrial economic efficiency, cultivating the consumption habits of energy saving and environmental protection, promoting investment in environmental protection and stimulating technological progress, so as to promote the sustainable development of Xi’an city.

Ecological Security Assessment Based on Ecological Footprint Approach in Hulunbeir Grassland, China.

Hulunbeir grassland, as a crucial ecological barrier and energy supply base in northwest China, suffers from a fragile ecological environment. Therefore, it is crucially important for Hulunbeir grassland to achieve the sustainable development of its social economies and ecological environments through the evaluation of its ecological security. This paper introduces the indexes of the ecological pressure index (EPI), ecological footprint diversity index (EFDI), and ecological coordination coefficient (ECC) based on the ecological footprint model. Furthermore, the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model was applied to analyze the main driving factors of the change of the ecological footprint. The results showed that: The ecological footprint (EF) per capita of Hulunbeir grassland has nearly doubled in 11 years to 11.04 ha/cap in 2016, while the ecological capacity (EC) per capita was rather low and increased slowly, leading to a continuous increase of per capita ecological deficit (ED) (from 5.7113 ha/cap to 11.0937 ha/cap). Within this, the footprint of fossil energy land and grassland contributed the most to the total EF, and forestland and cropland played the major role in EC. The EPI increased from 0.82 in 2006 to 1.25 in 2016, leading the level of ecological security to increase from level 3 (moderately safe) to level 4 (moderately risky). The indexes of the EFDI and ECC both reached a minimum in 2014 and then began to rise, indicating that Hulunbeir steppe’s ecological environment, as well as its coordination with economy, was considered to be worse in 2014 but then gradually ameliorated. The STIRPAT model indicated that the main factors driving the EF increase were per capita GDP and the proportion of secondary industry, while the decrease of unit GDP energy consumption played an effective role in curbing the continuous growth of the EF. These findings not only have realistic significance in promoting the coordinated development between economy and natural resource utilization under the constraint of fragile environment, but also provide a scientific reference for similar energy-rich ecologically fragile regions.

Natural capital utilization on an international tourism island based on a three-dimensional ecological footprint model: A case study of Hainan Province, China

Abstract Natural capital is a limited and irreplaceable factor for human welfare and sustainability. Natural capital includes natural capital flow and natural capital stock. When natural capital flow cannot meet the needs of regional development, it begins to consume natural capital stock. Therefore, the assessment of the current utilization status of natural capital flows and stocks is not only the basis for regional ecological construction evaluation but also an important indicator of the effectiveness of regional sustainable development strategies. This study uses the three-dimensional ecological footprint model to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the utilization status of natural capital flows and stocks in Hainan Province from 2005 to 2016. The driving factors behind changes in the natural capital stock are revealed using a partial least squares method. Our results indicate the following. (1) The per capita ecological footprint of Hainan Province is increasing at an annual rate of 3.87%, and the per capita ecological deficit is increasing at an annual rate of 5.85%. The ecological footprints are mainly composed of cropland and forest land and the account composition is dominated by the biological and energy accounts; (2) The growth of water body natural capital flow promotes the total natural capital flow consumption of Hainan Province from 2005 to 2016 with an annual average of 0.41%. The natural capital flow consumption is mainly in the north, northeast and southwestern cities and counties, and the growth rate of natural capital flow consumption is greatest in the central mountainous region; (3) The consumption of total natural capital stock is growing at an average annual rate of 4.49%, from a value of 2.97 times the sustainable resource consumption of Hainan Province in 2005, increasing to a factor of 4.81 times in 2016. The natural capital stock consumption is mainly in the north and northeast in terms of quantity and growth rate; (4) The secondary industries, the year-end resident population, the total energy consumption and the total investment in fixed assets are the natural capital stock consumption of Hainan Province. These findings can provide a scientific reference for the formulation of Hainan’s economic development and environmental protection policies to promote the coordinated and sustainable development of social, economic and environmental aspects of Hainan Province.

Temporal-Spatial Evolution of the Urban Ecological Footprint Based on Net Primary Productivity: A Case Study of Xuzhou Central Area, China

The urbanization process all over the world has caused serious ecological and environmental problems which have recently become a focus for study. Ecological footprint analysis, which is widely used to assess the sustainability of regional development, can quantitatively measure the human occupation of natural capital. In this study, the ecological footprint based on net primary production (EF-NPP) and MODIS data were used to measure the ecological footprint in Xuzhou central area from 2005 to 2014. The results showed that from 2005 to 2014, the per capita ecological footprint increased from 1.06 to 1.17 hm2/person; the per capita ecological capacity decreased from 0.10 to 0.09 hm2/person; the per capita ecological deficit increased from −0.96 to −1.09 hm2/person; and the ecological pressure index increased from 6.87 to 11.97. The composition of the ecological footprint showed that grassland contributed most to the ecological footprint and deficit, and cultivated land contributed most to the ecological capacity. The spatial distribution of the ecological footprint changed significantly, especially in the expansion of the area of lower value. The ecological capacity and deficit changed little. The ecological situation in Xuzhou central area was unbalanced. Based on this study, Xuzhou city was recommended to control the increase of the ecological footprint, improve the ecological capacity and balance the ecological pattern for sustainable development.

Multiple Scenarios Simulation of Global Ecological Footprint Based on Empirical Mode Decomposition Method

A nonlinear dynamic simulative model has been discussed with variable cycles of entire world per capita ecological footprint taken from 1961 to 2003. The model was further classified and decomposed and extracted by the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method. To deal with the problems proposed in the Living Planet Report 2006, three ecological footprint scenarios are presented. Simulative numerical values of the three global per capita (GPC) ecological footprint scenarios are also analyzed based on the simulative model. The results show that: 1) The clear varying cycle of global per capita EF growth is 4.6 years, 9.5 years, 19.5 years and 41 years over the last 42 years; 2) According to the business-as-usual scenario, if the global per capita increases positively with the constant growth, it is expected that GPC EF would be 3.262 gha in 2050. Assuming global per capita biocapacity (BC) to be 1.236 gha, global per capita ecological deficit (ED) would increase from 0.4 gha in 2003 to 2.026 gha in 2050; 3) The slow-shift scenario shows global per capita EF would decrease from 2.23 gha in 2003 to 1.619 gha in 2080 and 1.406 gha in 2100, if the negative annual change rate of it is 0.447 percent. Global per capita ED would decrease from 0.4 gha in 2003 to 0.222 gha in 2080 and 0.038 gha in 2100, if global per capita BC is 1.397 gha; 4) The rapid-reduction scenario depicts global per capita EF would decrease to 1.414 gha in 2050, if the negative annual change rate is 0.842% from 2003 to 2050. Assuming global per capita BC to be 1.461 gha, global per capita ecological reserve (ER) would be 0.047 gha, and overshoot would be eliminated in 2050. Global per capita EF would decrease to 1.054 gha in 2100, if the negative annual change rate is 0.438% from 2050 to 2100. Assuming global per capita BC to be 1.474 gha, GPC ER would be 0.420 gha. Then, wild species of the planet will be allocated nearly 28.5% of the planet’s biological productivity, which coincides with the results of Living Planet Report 2006.

Prediction of Ecological Pressure on Resource-Based Cities Based on an RBF Neural Network Optimized by an Improved ABC Algorithm

Resource-based cities are those where resource-based industries comprise a large proportion of all industries. Sustainable development implies that cities make full use of their own resources to support current development initiatives and take sustainability into account both during and after resource consumption. To promote investment in the sustainable development of resource-based cities and to a provide a decision system for these cities, this paper uses an ecological footprint model to evaluate and analyze the per capita ecological footprint, per capita ecological carrying capacity and per capita ecological deficit of a representative resource-based city, Yulin. The data are collected from 2001 to 2015. In addition, due to the complexity of the influencing factors for ecological carrying capacity and the variety of situations that are difficult to accurately predict, this paper proposes a new urban ecological carrying capacity prediction model, which consists of a radial basis function (RBF) neural network that is optimized by an improved artificial bee colony algorithm. The prediction results show that energy consumption is the major factor affecting the urban ecosystem; moreover, the model precision of the training results and the simulation accuracy of the test results achieved by the RBF neural network model are 97.91% and 94.16%, respectively, and in 2020, the per capita ecological footprint, biocapacity, and ecological deficit of Yulin are predicted to reach 4.892 hm 2 , 3.317 hm 2 , and 1.575 hm 2 , respectively. Accordingly, effective proactive measures should be taken in advance to maintain or reduce the ecological pressure on this resource-dependent city. This paper strives to provide a scientific basis for local government decision-making to realize the healthy, stable, and rapid sustainable development of resource-based cities.

Three-dimensional ecological footprint assessment for ecologically sensitive areas: A case study of the Southern Qin Ling piedmont in Shaanxi, China

Abstract The ecological management of ecologically sensitive areas is highly sensitive and complex. The three-dimensional ecological footprint assessment for ecologically sensitive areas plays a decisive role in the overall development of a region's ecological environment and can be helpful for promoting the coordinated and sustainable development of economic and natural capital utilization. Taking a typical ecologically sensitive area in the southern Qin Ling piedmont of Shaanxi (southern Shaanxi) as an example, this paper describes the per capita ecological footprint ( E F ) and per capita biological capacity ( B C ) from 2005 to 2015. In addition, based on an analysis of the utilization of capital stocks and flows and the ecological footprint depth ( E F d e p t h ) and size ( E F s i z e ) , the factors driving changes in the region's ecological footprint size are revealed by a partial least squares model (PLS model). The results indicate that the per capita biological capacity in the southern Qin Ling piedmont of Shaanxi remained stable at 2.100 ha/cap and that the per capita ecological footprint increased, with fluctuations between 1.359 ha/cap and 2.239 ha/cap. After the first appearance of a per capita ecological deficit in 2013, the ecological footprint depth peaked in 2014 at 1.049 ha/cap. The capital stocks consumption rate was well controlled, which meant that capital flows remained the main source of natural capital. The main factors driving the ecological footprint size are commonly used arable land, the per capita disposable income of urban residents and the primary industry output value. Therefore, some suggestions are offered as follows: control the land use for urbanization, accelerate industrial restructuring and upgrading, and establish a mechanism for environmental monitoring and warning.

Reconsidering Economic Productivity

Economy has changed significantly over the past century, in part due to the scientific discoveries, due to the industrial revolution, to the research, development and innovation, but maybe the most important contributor to the economic development is the human resource. We have witnessed significant changes enhancing the levels of productivity, both labor and capital. This paper analyzes productivity in relation to its social and sustainability dimension. The paper follows a previous study, highlighting the most important findings identified and reinterpreting them on the basis of the most recent research papers produced by the scholars in the field. The analysis is focused on the most unsustainable economies worldwide, respectively, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Belgium, Kuwait, Singapore, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Macedonia, Japan and the United States of America – selected by considering their per capita ecological deficit. The research uses statistical data provided by the United Nations Development Program, the World Bank and the Global Footprint Network. The research combines economical, development and environmental indexes in our attempt to evaluate productivity and to adjust it so that it considers the ecological deficit of the nations. The research hypothesis that generated the study is: the levels of economic productivity obtained by countries are not limited by their biocapacities. The empirical analysis will verify the research question advocating for the need to consider the limited capacity of the planet, in term of natural resources, when promoting economic and social development.

Assessing the Effect of Eco-City Practices on Urban Sustainability Using an Extended Ecological Footprint Model: A Case Study in Xi’an, China

Planning and construction are well-known practical topics; however, eco-city developments and their sustainable effects on the city are less known. Xi’an is a typical city that has a target to become an eco-city. This city is selected in this case study with the aims of (1) framing eco-practices to enhance the understanding of an eco-city development and (2) evaluating the effect of eco-practices to reveal whether they truly enhance urban sustainability. For the first objective, the framework was constructed in accordance with ecological footprint (EF) theory. For the second objective, environmental pollution was added to an extended EF model. The EF of Xi’an from 1999 to 2014 was calculated and analyzed. The results are as follows: (1) Water pollution control and water area development are core issues in the Xi’an eco-city development. Air pollution control and forest land development also play important roles in the eco-city development; (2) Eco-city practices contribute to the decreases of per capita EF and per capita ecological deficit because of the reduction in the EFs of water area, forest land, and arable land, thereby enhancing urban sustainability; (3) The effect of eco-city practices on the improvement of per capita ecological capacity (EC), the ECs of arable land, water area, pasture land, and forest land are not significant. Based on these results, this study provides practical implications for the promotion of urban sustainability through eco-city development.

Dynamic evolutions of ecological carrying capacity in poor areas using ecological footprint model at Ruyang County of China

In this study, the ecological footprint (EF) from 2004 to 2013 of a poor county chosen from Central China was measured and analyzed by using the methodology and theory of EF. The results showed that in the past 10 years, the county’s ecological footprint per capita was growing gradually, increasing from 0.7053 hm2 in 2004 to 1.4473 hm2 in 2013, with growth clearly accelerated in recent years. During the same period, the ecological carrying capacity per capita reduced from 0.6351 hm2 to 0.5018 hm2. Additionally, regional development had been in a state of ecological deficit, per capita ecological deficit increased from 0.0702 hm2 to 0.9456 hm2. This led to contradictions between regional socio-economic development and sustainability of natural ecosystems, meaning the development of the region is unsustainable. Measures to reduce the ecological deficit were proposed to coordinate regional industrialization, urbanization, ecological environmental protection, and to promote the sustainable development in the region (e.g. adjusting industrial structure and consumption structure, promoting economic transformation, scientific planning and management of land). The results could provide a scientific basis for studies on ecological carrying capacity of the poor areas in Central China. Keywords: ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity, ecological deficit, sustainable development, poor areas in China DOI: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20171002.2109 Citation: Wang J, Zhang Q M, Zou C J, Wang J X, Li Y S, Wang M C. Dynamic evolutions of ecological carrying capacity in poor areas using ecological footprint model at Ruyang County of China. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2017; 10(2): 140–150.