Research Progress on Evaluation Frameworks of Regional Ecological Sustainability

As natural ecosystems provide the material basis and fundamental support for regional sustainable devel-opment,the sustainability of natural ecosystems is an important prerequisite and a viable approach for the achievement of regional sustainable development.It is also the final criteria to assess whether sustainable development paradigm is successful.Along with the increasing impacts of human activities on natural ecosystems,the evaluation of regional ecological sustainability has become one of the key issues for research on macro ecology and sustainable development.Based on different unit of indicators,this study firstly groups the evaluation frameworks of regional ecological sus-tainability into three major types:comprehensive index evaluation with dimensionless unit,monetary valuation,and biophysical quantity measurement.We then discuss and compare these types in terms of basic principles,scope of ap-plications,advantages and shortcomings.Finally,drawn on the discussion about characteristics of ecological sustain-ability,we outline the current trend and future directions of regional ecological sustainability evaluation,for instance,transition from sustainable development evaluation to sustainability science,integration of goal-oriented and problem-solving approaches,combination of spatial pattern analysis and ecological sustainability evaluation,and en-hancement of ecological sustainability evaluation at landscape scale.

Evaluation of Ecological Sustainability Based on Ecological Footprint in Hunan Province

To make clear ecological sustainable development in Hunan Province, biomass resources and the energy consumption indexes of Hunan Province in 2013 were selected, and quantity analysis of the regional ecological consumption and the ecological carrying capacity was carried out using the ecological footprint method. The results showed that the net ecological deficit per capita was 1.718 hm2 in 2013 in Hunan Province, which indicated the regional development was beyond the scope of ecological carrying capacity. So, according to the present unsustainable situation, the corresponding development suggestions were put forward.

From economic prosperity to ecological sustainability──A theoretical and practical concern of sustainable development in China

China. a country with more than 1. 2 billion people, is undergoing a rapid industrializationand urbanization. While brings wealth and hopes to people, the economic prosperity has to pay the priceof the ecological degradation. What kind of dynamics and cybernetics is needed to lead a sustainabledevelopment and ecological health? How to deal with the complicated relationships between social transi-tion , economic growth and environmental change? This article is to present some theoretical and practicalconcerns from the viewpoint of human system ecology with some cases of small towns in the coastal areaof China.

Green trading and ecological sustainability under macroeconomic policy framework

When confronted with ecological challenges,trading ecologically friendly products involving renewable technologies,green management practices,and effluent treatment methods could alleviate ecological degradation on a global scale while considering the macroeconomic policy framework.Therefore,this study determines the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policy instruments in moderating the relationship between green trade openness(i.e.,trade in environmentally related products)and ecological sustainability.Applying panel quantile regression on data from 20 OECD members from 2003 to 2016,we found that green trade openness supports ecological sustainability through a gains-from-trade approach.Concerning moderation effects,expenditure-driven fiscal expansion reinforces the favorable influence of green trade openness on ecological sustainability across ecologically less/moderately efficient economies,while it does the reverse for ecologically more efficient members.Taxation-driven fiscal contraction promotes ecological sustainability amelioration impact of green trade openness for economies with belowaverage ecological quality and remains neutral for those with average/above-average ecological quality.Besides,interest rate-driven monetary contraction proliferates the ecological sustainability enhancement effect of green openness.We suggest that the fiscal and monetary policies demand unambiguous coordination with the OECD’s trade policy structure for optimal environmental outcomes of trading in environmental products.These insights would help OECD’s green trade policies gain momentum to facilitate the attainment of the Climate Action agenda of the United Nations’Sustainable Development Goals.

New road for telecoupling global prosperity and ecological sustainability

China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to expand the ancient land routes that connect China to the Mediterranean Sea and corresponding ocean- based routes, is expanding global cooperation with profound socioeconomic and ecological implications. As China and associated countries are developing specific policies to implement the initiative, it is important to analyze and integrate major relevant issues. In this article, we discuss several major challenges facing the Belt and Road region: complex natural features, mismatched resources, shared ecological issues, and diverse socioeconomic conditions. To meet the challeng-es, we apply the integrated framework of telecoupling (socioeconomic and environmental interactions over distances) and propose to enhance infrastructure connection, transboundary actions, scientific and cultural exchanges, and institutional innovations within the Belt and Road region;and collaborate with more interna-tional organizations and countries beyond the Belt and Road region for a prosperous and sustainable world.

A Modified Model of Ecological Footprint Accounting and Its Application to Cropland in Jiangsu,China

Based on the theory of emergy analysis,a modified model of ecological footprint accounting,termed emergetic ecological footprint(EMEF)in contrast to the conventional ecological footprint(EF)model,is formulated and applied to a case study of Jiangsu cropland,China.Comparisons between the EF and the EMEF with respect to grain,cotton,and food oil were outlined.Per capita EF and EMEF of cropland were also presented to depict the resources consumption level by comparing the biocapacity(BC)or emergetic biocapacity(EMBC,a new BC calculation by emergy analysis) of the same area.In the meanwhile,the ecological sustainability index(ESI),a new concept initiated by the authors, was established in the modified model to indicate and compare the sustainability of cropland use at different levels and between different regions.The results from conventional EF showed that per capita EF of the cropland has exceeded its per capita BC in Jiangsu since 1986.In contrast,based on the EMBC,the per capita EMEF exceeded the per capita EMBC 5 years earlier.The ESIs of Jiangsu cropland use were between 0.7 and 0.4 by the conventional method,while the numbers were between 0.7 and 0.3 by the modified one.The fact that the results of the two methods were similar showed that the modified model was reasonable and feasible,although some principles of the EF and EMEF were quite different. Also,according to the realities of Jiangsu cropland use,the results from the modified model were more acceptable.

Establish Rational Ecological Man to Construct the Harmonious Society

Rational Ecological Man （REM） is the integration of government, enterprise and the public, which plays an important role in our society. This paper firstly clarifies the definition of REM and regards that REM differs essentially from Rational Economic Man. Subsequently, the.paper analyzes the signi＇ficance of establishing REM to construct the harmonious society. Finally, the paper provides some specific suggestions on how to establish REM.

Economic principles and fundamental model of the sustainable utilization of ecological resources

By analyzing the basic rules and measurement principles of the sustainable utilization of ecological. resources and constructing its mathematical model this paper points out that the sustainable utilization of ecological resources is in nature to use the double-period model thousands of times for the dynamic distribution of ecological resources effectively. And it points out that in order to realize the sustainable utilization of ecological resources we must follow the basw principle-non-decreasing ecological capital and put forward corresponding standards, measures, policies and proposals.

Research on the Regional Ecological Environment Evaluation and Application under the Influence of the Severe Earthquake Disaster

To conduct the ecological restoration and reconstruction of disaster areas after the severe earthquake, such as Wenchuan Earthquake and Lushan Earthquake, this article uses region al ecological environment evaluation and ecological footprint to construct a quantitative analysis model on the basis of ecololgical environment indexes in Mianzhu City. Through this model, resource status of the regional environment in Mianzhu is analyzed, as well as the ecological capacity and the ecological security. Based on the evaluation and analysis, this paper provides multi-path development strategies of ecological restoration and sustainable development of human settlements after the earthquake.

Rural sustainable development:A case study of the Zaozhuang Innovation Demonstration Zone in China

Sustainable development is the central theme of modern global development.With the arrival of the urban era,the vulnerability and instability of rural areas have significantly increased,and rural sustainable development faces serious challenges.To address these issues,the study took the Zaozhuang Innovation Demonstration Zone in China under the National Sustainable Development Agenda as a case,combined with economic,social and land use data during 2016-2020,and applied Granger causality test method to explore the theoretical and practical pathways of“innovation-driven rural sustainable development”.The results showed that rural sustainable development and economic sustainability displayed a trend of synergistic change,with“explosive”growth from 2018 to 2020.The social sustainability steadily increased from 2016 to 2020.Ecological and spatial sustainability continuously declined during the study period.Moreover,the rural innovation capacity of the Zaozhuang Innovation Demonstration Zone displayed rapid growth during 2016-2020.Although the rural innovation capacity of the Zaozhuang Innovation Demonstration Zone has rapidly improved,it has a weak driving effect on rural sustainable development and economic sustainability.There are two primary challenges that must be overcome to ensure the rural sustainable development of the Zaozhuang Innovation Demonstration Zone.The first challenge is the imbalance among the multi-dimensional relationships in the process of rural sustainable development,and the second challenge is the weakening of rural innovation capacity to drive rural sustainable development.To overcome these challenges,this study proposed a systematic pathway for rural sustainable development in the Zaozhuang Innovation Demonstration Zone from multidimensions,such as policy actions,technologies,projects,and institutional guarantees,and formed a universal and representative“Zaozhuang model”.This study expands the theoretical foundation of rural sustainable development and provides theoretical and practical support for innovation-driven rural sustainable development.

Fostering Ecologically Sustainable Growth

IN July,2,400 guests from 35 countries and regions attended the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference Guiyang 2018 in Guiyang,a national forest city in southwest China.The theme of the conference was"Embracing a New Era of

The Change of Ecological Footprint and Its Effect on Sustainable Development in Beijing of China

Speeding up the environmental protection and construction is one of the major issues in ＂Greener Olympic Games＂ held in Beijing in 2008. Making a thorough study to find out the reliable measures to ecological resumption in Beijing has an important scientific and practical significance. It can provide scientific basis for making a better decision for ＂Greener Olympic Games＂ held in capital Beijing and development in harmony for society and economy, as well as management for ecological environment. By studying of change of ecological footprint from 1990 to 2003 in Beijing, the paper shows that ecological footprint per capita has a strong relativity with population and GDP, and both of the correlation coefficient between them is about 0.92, as well as the fossil energy land has a position in the lead in ecological footprint items. The study also shows that the ecological capacity per capita in Beijing occupied about 1.25% in global ecological capacity per capita. Began 1990, the ecological deficit in Beijing was about 0.72 hm2, which is at strong unsustainable development at present. Finally, the paper suggests social and economic structure should be adjusted as soon as possible, resources should be strengthen sustainable used and population increasing should be controlled strictly, as well as arable land also should be under control used for built-up areas. Simultaneity, the utilizing ratio of energy sources should be increased, and the consumption of energy sources and ecological deficit in Beijing should be reduced in order to speed up the society and economy development in harmony and sustainment.

Ecosystem Civilization Construction Seen from Ecosystem Service Assessment

Under the background of setting up a complete system of ecosystem civilization and ecosystem assessment indicators, which were put forward by the party central committee, ecosystem service assessment has become a research hotspot of ecological economics, and played an important role in the ecosystem civilization construction process. On the basis of overviews of the connotations and development histories of ecosystem service and ecological civilization, we analyzed the role of ecosystem service assessment in the ecological civilization construction process from ecological sustainability, human welfare and poverty reduction, which would provide a reference for further research.

Green Barriers： Obstacle or Stimulation ？

Most viewpoints in China consider green barrier is one kind of non-tariff barriers imposed by developed countries and is unfair to developing countries. Different from these, this paper points out that green barriers, evolving from the background of sustainable development theory and the principle of environment protection, have positive effect on ideology, international institutional arrangement and innovation stimulation. Demonstrating the rationality of green barriers, the paper puts forward that green barriers should be regarded as the stimulation for technology innovation and industrial restructure rather than obstacles. The best way to surmount the green barriers for Chinese government and enterprises is to implement circular economy and clean production so as to achieve the harmony of trade, environment and economic development.

Integrating Sustainable Development into Global Institutions:Reforming the United Nations

This article will briefly outline the origins,structure and functions of United Nations Environment Program and the Commission on Sustainable Development in the context of the goals of ecologically sustainable development(ESD).Economic development,social development and environmental protection form the three interconnected parts of ESD.The achievements of the key UN environmental institutions and programs in opening up the global system to civil society,the private sector and a diversity of actors and interests,promoting the role of poverty alleviation as part of ESD through the Millennium Development Goals,and facilitating important Multilateral Environmental Agreements should be recognized.However,with these notable exceptions,organizations such as United Nations Environment Program and the Commission on Sustainable Development have become weak in scientific and technical leadership,global policy,co-ordination(inside and outside the UN) and has few achievements in the international and national implementation of obligations and standards in Global Environmental Governance-including enforcement,compliance and effectiveness.This article will outline the key reasons for this inadequacy.Attention will also be focused on the way forward through of a new United Nations Environment Organization.This will require a clarification of purpose and function(within the UN system and as part of global governance structures) as well as consideration of whether it depends on system-wide UN reform.It is recommended that medium and long term strategies for reform are necessary.

Divergent consequences of bio-resources on morphological plasticity and biochemical responses in early-stage leguminous species:Sustainable productivity approaches

Inorganic resources can be detrimental to the environment when exploited.In comparison,organic resources help balance the soil’s carbon and nitrogen(C/N)ratio,enhance soil fertility and benefit ecological protection.Current climate crises,rapid urbanization,and fast population growth are causing many natural forests to be converted to agricultural and industrial lands to fulfill ever-increasing food and developmental requirements.Application of different bio-resources becomes necessary for sustainable productivity of available lands.This study explores the effects of various organic amendments on the growth,morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes of three leguminous tree species:Dalbergia sissoo,Vachellia nilotica,and Acacia ampliceps,concerning sustainable productivity.One-year-old healthy,disease-free,and homogenous seedlings were used as study material in a greenhouse pot experiment.Four organic amendments,i.e.,compost(CMP),cow dung(CD),poultry manure(PM),and biochar(BC),along with a control(CK)treatment,were applied.Results showed that all the organic amendments performed significantly better(P<0.05)than CK.CD produced the most significant results,followed by BC application,while PM influence was the least.Among all treatments and species,the maximum values of root length,root biomass,chlorophyll content,carotenoids,catalase,and total phenolic content were recorded under the CD treatment.Whereas for plant height and collar diameter,no big differences were observed between CD and BC(P=0.054).While comparing species,V.nilotica growth was significantly enhanced under organic amendments,followed by A.ampliceps.Combined and comparative results of studied parameters conclude that CD and BC were the most effective organic amendments,which greatly improved the growth of experimental leguminous tree species;this makes these two biofertilizers a powerful tool for sustainable agricultural productivity.Our study contributes toward an enhanced understanding of plant’s morpho-physiological responses,biochemical growth patterns,controls,and activities under different bio-fertilizers.

“We are all in the same boat”-ISEE leaders’ trip to China

The motto of Tongji University, whose name literally means ＂we are all in the same boat, and must work together to reach common goals＂, describes the harvest of ISEE leaders＇ mission to China in May 2007. ISEE President Joan Martinez-Alier, President-Elect Peter May and the society＇s founder and first President, Robert Costanza as well as ISEE member Robert Ayres, participated in a series of events and meetings in Shanghai and Beijing with a view to build institutional collaboration.

Low-level retention forestry, certification, and biodiversity: case Finland

In managed forests,leaving retention trees during final harvesting has globally become a common approach to reconciling the often conflicting goals of timber production and safeguarding biodiversity and delivery of several ecosystem services.In Finland,the dominant certification scheme requires leaving low levels of retention that can benefit some specific species.However,species responses are dependent on the level of retention and the current low amounts of retention clearly do not provide the habitat quality and continuity needed for declining and redlisted forest species which are dependent on old living trees and coarse woody debris.Several factors contribute to this situation.First,the ecological benefits of the current low retention levels are further diminished by monotonous standwise use of retention,resulting in low variability of retention habitat at the landscape scale.Second,the prevailing timber-oriented management thinking may regard retention trees as an external cost to be minimized,rather than as part of an integrated approach to managing the ecosystem for specific goals.Third,the main obstacles of development may still be institutional and policy-related.The development of retention practices in Finland indicates that the aim has not been to use ecological understanding to attain specific ecological sustainability goals,but rather to define the lowest level of retention that still allows access to the market.We conclude that prevailing retention practices in Finland currently lack ecological credibility in safeguarding biodiversity and they should urgently be developed based on current scientific knowledge to meet ecological sustainability goals.