Rural Environmental Quality Evaluation Indicator System: Application in Shangluo City, Shaanxi Province

Abstract

The evaluation of rural environmental quality plays an important role in improving farmers’ quality of life and in realizing a livable, workable, and beautiful countryside. Taking Shangluo City in Shaanxi Province as the study area, 16 indicators across five systems were selected to evaluate the rural environmental quality. The following methods were used in the evaluation: the hierarchical analysis method, the expert scoring method, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The results show the following: (1) The rural environmental quality assessment value of Shangluo City is adequate. (2) In the system layer, the toilet renovation and infrastructure scores were high; however, the household sewage treatment and the construction and management mechanisms need to be improved. (3) According to an IPA quadrant diagram, the importance and satisfaction values for each index varied significantly. The management of black, foul-smelling water bodies and action on environmental remediation emerged as key to improving rural environmental quality. This study can provide a reference for the comprehensive improvement of rural environmental quality in other areas of Shaanxi Province.