Emergy-Based Assessment and Suggestions for Sustainable Development of Regional Ecological Economy: A Case Study of Anhui Province, China

Abstract

In view of the coordination of economy, society, and environment in the process of the rapid development of the regional economy, this study proposes the evaluation method of sustainable development of a regional economy on the basis of emergy. The study also constructed an evaluation index system of sustainable development of regional ecological economy from four aspects, namely, structural, functional, and ecological efficiency, and sustainable development index. The objective was to comprehensively evaluate the quality and environmental friendliness of regional economic development. On this basis, this study measured and evaluated the sustainable development of the ecological economy in Anhui Province by using emergy to analyze the statistical data of the economic development of Anhui Province, China, from 2010 to 2018. The study also provides targeted decision-making suggestions for the sustainable and high-quality development of the Anhui economy. Furthermore, this study provides a measure and evaluation method for the sustainable development of the regional economy and effective policy recommendations, which have important theoretical and practical significance.