生态足迹与区域生态适度人口——以西部12省市为例

一个区域生态适度人口的确定取决于区域生态承载力与区域人口对生态资源的需求.介绍了生态足迹模型的基本概念和计算方法,并运用该模型对中国西部12省、直辖市、自治区生态适度人口进行了估算.中国目前已经出现过度人口和生态赤字,但在较低社会经济发展水平和低消费的条件下,西部地区具有相对较小的人地矛盾,生态赤字较小,目前的人口规模基本可认为是合理的.随着西部开发的进程,西部省区正在并将持续面临严重的生态压力.

Ecological Footprint and Regional Eco-Optimum Population:--take China's Western Provinces as an Example

The Ecological footprint model presents a methodologically simple but integrated framework to measure the impact of human's consumption on ecological system. It can also be used in calculating and predicting the regional sustainable population. This paper,firstly, introduces the key conceptions and procedures of the model, and then calculates the ecological footprints of China and footprints of 12 provinces in western region,the ecological capacities and ecological deficits. On this basis, the sustainable population capacity of western area is estimated. It reveals that China has already in a state of national ecological deficit and overpopulation. Owing mainly to low economic development, the western part of China has a relatively smaller ecological deficit than other areas. However, the economic development of Western region and the improvement of living condition will certainly add more ecological pressure on those western provinces.