IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i10p8007-d1146753.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing Environmental Sustainability Based on the Three-Dimensional Emergy Ecological Footprint (3D EEF) Model: A Case Study of Gansu Province, China

Author

Listed:
  • Hua Liu

    (School of Mathematics and Computer Science, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China)

  • Xiaofen Lin

    (School of Mathematics and Computer Science, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China)

  • Jinhuan Wei

    (School of Mathematics and Computer Science, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China)

  • Lei Hu

    (School of Mathematics and Computer Science, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China)

Abstract

Quantifying the supply and demand relationship between human social consumption and natural ecosystem resources is an effective way to assess the sustainability of ecosystem services. This paper introduces the concepts of footprint size (EF size ) and depth (EF depth ) to emergy analysis to establish a three-dimensional emergy ecological footprint (3D EEF) model and evaluates the environmental sustainability development of Gansu Province from 2001 to 2020. The results show that the minimum value of the 3D emergy ecological footprint (EEF 3D ) of Gansu Province was 5.98 × 10 7 hm 2 and that the maximum value was 1.41 × 10 8 hm 2 . The EEFdepth was slightly more than one in 2015 and 2016, and the ecological resources were in deficit. However, the ecological service system from 2001 to 2020 was almost in a sustainable state. The region’s emergy carrying capacity (ECC) and emergy ecological footprint (EEF) from 2021 to 2030 are predicted using the ARIMA and GM (1, 1) models. The projections show that the ECC and EEF will increase year by year from 2021 to 2030. In the short term, the flow of natural capital can satisfy the development requirements. Finally, policy recommendations are provided for the ecological sustainability of the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Hua Liu & Xiaofen Lin & Jinhuan Wei & Lei Hu, 2023. "Assessing Environmental Sustainability Based on the Three-Dimensional Emergy Ecological Footprint (3D EEF) Model: A Case Study of Gansu Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8007-:d:1146753
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8007/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8007/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Han-Shen Chen, 2017. "Evaluation and Analysis of Eco-Security in Environmentally Sensitive Areas Using an Emergy Ecological Footprint," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Xiaoman Liu & Jingying Fu & Dong Jiang & Jianwu Luo & Chenxi Sun & Huiming Liu & Ruihong Wen & Xuefeng Wang, 2018. "Improvement of Ecological Footprint Model in National Nature Reserve Based on Net Primary Production (NPP)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. David Lin & Laurel Hanscom & Adeline Murthy & Alessandro Galli & Mikel Evans & Evan Neill & Maria Serena Mancini & Jon Martindill & Fatime-Zahra Medouar & Shiyu Huang & Mathis Wackernagel, 2018. "Ecological Footprint Accounting for Countries: Updates and Results of the National Footprint Accounts, 2012–2018," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Niccolucci, Valentina & Pulselli, Federico M. & Tiezzi, Enzo, 2007. "Strengthening the threshold hypothesis: Economic and biophysical limits to growth," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 667-672, February.
    5. Niccolucci, V. & Bastianoni, S. & Tiezzi, E.B.P. & Wackernagel, M. & Marchettini, N., 2009. "How deep is the footprint? A 3D representation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(20), pages 2819-2823.
    6. Minglu Ma & Zhuangzhuang Wang, 2019. "Prediction of the Energy Consumption Variation Trend in South Africa based on ARIMA, NGM and NGM-ARIMA Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mehmet Ünal & Fatma Ünal, 2022. "Ecological Footprint Reduction Behaviors of Individuals in Turkey in the Context of Ecological Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Shuhui Zhang & Fuquan Li & Yuke Zhou & Ziyuan Hu & Ruixin Zhang & Xiaoyu Xiang & Yali Zhang, 2022. "Using Net Primary Productivity to Characterize the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Ecological Footprint for a Resource-Based City, Panzhihua in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Zhigang Li & Jie Yang & Jialong Zhong & Dong Zhang, 2022. "Assessment of Urban Agglomeration Ecological Sustainability and Identification of Influencing Factors: Based on the 3DEF Model and the Random Forest," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Haiqian Ke & Wenyi Yang & Xiaoyang Liu & Fei Fan, 2020. "Does Innovation Efficiency Suppress the Ecological Footprint? Empirical Evidence from 280 Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-23, September.
    5. Zhaofeng Wang & Dongchun Huang & Jing Wang, 2023. "Exploring Spatial Correlations of Tourism Ecological Security in China: A Perspective from Social Network Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Hua Liu & Dan-Yang Li & Rong Ma & Ming Ma, 2022. "Assessing the Ecological Risks Based on the Three-Dimensional Ecological Footprint Model in Gansu Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-19, December.
    7. Cecília Szigeti & Zoltán Major & Dániel Róbert Szabó & Áron Szennay, 2023. "The Ecological Footprint of Construction Materials—A Standardized Approach from Hungary," Resources, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.
    8. Jack P. Manno, 2011. "Looking for a Silver Lining: The Possible Positives of Declining Energy Return on Investment (EROI)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(11), pages 1-9, October.
    9. Yikun Su & Hong Xue & Huakang Liang, 2019. "An Evaluation Model for Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity: An Empirical Case from Harbin City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-25, January.
    10. Luhua Wu & Shijie Wang & Xiaoyong Bai & Guangjie Luo & Jinfeng Wang & Fei Chen & Chaojun Li & Chen Ran & Sirui Zhang, 2022. "Accelerating the Improvement of Human Well-Being in China through Economic Growth and Policy Adjustment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, October.
    11. Ferreira, João-Pedro & Marques, João Lourenço & Moreno Pires, Sara & Iha, Katsunori & Galli, Alessandro, 2023. "Supporting national-level policies for sustainable consumption in Portugal: A socio-economic Ecological Footprint analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    12. Nicol Martinho & Liliana Cheng & Isabel Bentes & Carlos A. Teixeira & Sofia Sousa Silva & Margarida Liz Martins, 2022. "Environmental, Economic, and Nutritional Impact of Food Waste in a Portuguese University Canteen," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-14, November.
    13. Haiqian Ke & Shangze Dai & Haichao Yu, 2022. "Effect of green innovation efficiency on ecological footprint in 283 Chinese Cities from 2008 to 2018," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 2841-2860, February.
    14. Decun Wu, 2022. "Multi-Scale Analysis of the Evolution of Jiangsu’s Ecological Footprint Depth and Its Factor Decomposition," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Ye-Ning Wang & Qiang Zhou & Hao-Wei Wang, 2020. "Assessing Ecological Carrying Capacity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Based on a Three-Dimensional Ecological Footprint Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    16. Ji Chai & Zhanqi Wang & Hongwei Zhang, 2017. "Integrated Evaluation of Coupling Coordination for Land Use Change and Ecological Security: A Case Study in Wuhan City of Hubei Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-21, November.
    17. Yisong Wang & Jincheng Huang & Shiming Fang, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Natural Capital Based on the 3D Ecological Footprint Model: A Case Study of the Shennongjia National Park Pilot," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, February.
    18. Luca Coscieme & Paul Sutton & Lars F. Mortensen & Ida Kubiszewski & Robert Costanza & Katherine Trebeck & Federico M. Pulselli & Biagio F. Giannetti & Lorenzo Fioramonti, 2019. "Overcoming the Myths of Mainstream Economics to Enable a New Wellbeing Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-17, August.
    19. Niccolucci, V. & Bastianoni, S. & Tiezzi, E.B.P. & Wackernagel, M. & Marchettini, N., 2009. "How deep is the footprint? A 3D representation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(20), pages 2819-2823.
    20. Xiaoyan Cao & Jizong Jiao & Xiuli Liu & Wanyang Zhu & Haoran Wang & Huiqing Hao & Jingtao Lu, 2022. "Establishment of an Ecological Security Pattern under Arid Conditions Based on Ecological Carrying Capacity: A Case Study of Arid Area in Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-20, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8007-:d:1146753. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.