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Emergy Synthesis and Regional Sustainability Assessment: Case Study of Pan-Pearl River Delta in China

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  • Guomin Li

    () (Sustainable Development Research Center, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
    Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Yaoqiu Kuang

    () (Sustainable Development Research Center, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
    Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China)

  • Ningsheng Huang

    () (Sustainable Development Research Center, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China)

  • Xiangyang Chang

    () (School of Environment Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

Abstract

In this paper, emergy analysis is used in association with the ternary diagrams and geographic information system (GIS) tools to improve the evaluation of sustainability for the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) region. Emergy accounting of PPRD is estimated, and various emergy-based indicators are reported. Ternary diagrams are drawn to provide a graphical representation of the emergy accounting data. Finally, the GIS tools are employed to assist in the emergy-based spatial analysis, and emergy density based on flat land area is mapped to reflect the intensity of emergy use in human activity areas. Results show the following: (1) the current development path of the PPRD region, with the value of emergy sustainability index (ESI = 0.227) significantly lower than one, is unsustainable in the long run; (2) Guangdong has the lowest ESI value (0.071), and the ESI values of Fujian, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi are lower than 0.5, indicating that the economy in these provinces overly relies on non-renewable and imported resources; (3) Guizhou has a high emergy yield rate and is thus the main energy supplier in PPRD; and (4) among the nine provinces in PPRD, only Hainan has an ESI value (2.145) higher than one.

Suggested Citation

  • Guomin Li & Yaoqiu Kuang & Ningsheng Huang & Xiangyang Chang, 2014. "Emergy Synthesis and Regional Sustainability Assessment: Case Study of Pan-Pearl River Delta in China," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 6(8), pages 1-28, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:8:p:5203-5230:d:39108
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:eee:ecomod:v:210:y:2008:i:1:p:37-57 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Nourry, Myriam, 2008. "Measuring sustainable development: Some empirical evidence for France from eight alternative indicators," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 441-456, October.
    3. repec:eee:ecomod:v:220:y:2009:i:18:p:2291-2301 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:eee:ecomod:v:221:y:2010:i:20:p:2501-2508 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Gasparatos, Alexandros & Gadda, Tatiana, 2009. "Environmental support, energy security and economic growth in Japan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 4038-4048, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaoxian Zhang & Fang Ma, 2015. "Emergy Evaluation of Different Straw Reuse Technologies in Northeast China," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 7(9), pages 1-18, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    emergy synthesis; ternary diagram; regional sustainability assessment; pan-pearl river delta;

    JEL classification:

    • Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics
    • Q0 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General
    • Q2 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation
    • Q3 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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