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The existing index systems on sustainable evaluation are mostly based on a multi index comprehensive evaluation method. The main disadvantage of this approach is that the selection and assignment of evaluation indexes are greatly influenced by subjective factors, which can result in poor comparability of results. By contrast, the Footprint Family (including ecological footprint, carbon footprint, and water footprint) is not affected by subjective factors. The Footprint Family also covers the basic tenets of sustainable development. This paper proposes use of a sustainable development evaluation index system based on the principle of the Footprint Family, and including the ecological pressure index (EPI), the ecological occupancy index (EOI), the ecological economic coordination index (EECI), the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission index (CEI), the water resources stress index (WSI), and the sustainable development index (SDI). Furthermore, a standard for grading the evaluated results based on global benchmarks is formulated. The results of an empirical study in China were the following. The development situation deteriorated from 1990 to 2015. The results showed that the SDI decreased from a medium level (grade 5) to a lower-medium level (grade 4). The results of this empirical study also showed that the method of evaluation can avoid the influence of subjective factors and can be used in the evaluation of sustainable development for various temporal and spatial conditions.

The degree of coordination between ecosystem services and the level of socioeconomic development has essential implications for regional sustainability. The coordinated development of ecology and economy is a major theoretical and practical problem for the Qinba Mountains, which is once one of the 14 contiguous destitute areas in China. Based on the land use and cover change (LUCC) data interpreted by medium-resolution remote sensing images, this study adopted the modified equivalent factor method to calculate ecosystem service value (ESV) and its temporal and spatial variation in the Qinba Mountains. A comprehensive index system was constructed to measure the socioeconomic development level and to reveal the coupling relationship between the ESV and socioeconomic development. The results show that: (1) for 2000–2015, the ESV in these areas was increasing, the proportion of forest ESV was the largest, and it increased significantly. (2) The level of socioeconomic development was constantly improving, and the differences within the region were gradually emerging. (3) Except for the Hantai District, which has been in a highly uncoordinated state, the degree of coordination between ESV and socioeconomic development has improved year by year, and most counties were in a state of medium coordination, or above. The results contribute to a scientific basis for decision making regarding ecological environmental protection and green economic development in the Qinba Mountains, and have positive significance for promoting the construction of ecological civilization and sustainable development in the study area.