Comparative Study of Environmental Assessment Methods in the Evaluation of Resources and Environmental Carrying Capacity—A Case Study in Xinjiang, China

Abstract

Scientifically assessing the environmental carrying capacity (ECC) based on an evaluation of environmental quality standards (EQSs) holds great significance for establishing a long-term monitoring and early warning mechanism for resources and environmental carrying capacity (RECC) and for coordinating the sustainable development of ecological environments and regional economies. However, it remains unclear whether the evaluation of EQSs based on the short board effect is suitable for environmental assessments under different natural environments. In this research, Xinjiang is used as a case study. Based on the evaluation of EQSs, the atmospheric environmental carrying capacity (AECC), water environmental carrying capacity (WECC) and comprehensive environmental carrying capacity (CECC) are assessed using the short board effect and the weighted average. Additionally, the suitability of ECC evaluation in RECC evaluation is discussed. The results show the following: (1) In the atmosphere, the overload of inhalable particles (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is more serious, while in water, the overload of total nitrogen (TN) is more serious. (2) The percentages of the AECC, WECC and CECC in overloaded counties and cities based on the short board effect are 84%, 45%, and 51%, respectively, while the percentages based on the weighted average are 32%, 6% and 7%, respectively. (3) The extreme effects of a single pollutant can be eliminated by the weighted average, which is more suitable for environmental assessments in Xinjiang. (4) In evaluating RECC monitoring and early warning systems, weighted average evaluation is used to assess the elements, and short board effect evaluation is used in the comprehensive integration to prevent the influence of the amplification of a single index. Thus, the interference of non-key factors in the regional system on the final evaluation results is reduced.

Evaluation and Forewarning Management of Regional Resources and Environment Carrying Capacity: A Case Study of Hefei City, Anhui Province, China

“…The concept "resources and environment carrying capacity (RECC)" covers the connotation of multiple dimensions, including resource, environment, ecology, disaster, society, and economy. In terms of the resource dimension, carrying capacity refers to the capacity of resources to supply the environmental system and human needs [6][7][8][9][10]; in terms of the environment dimension, carrying capacity refers to the maintenance function of good environmental quality with the dilution and self-purification of pollution; in terms of the ecology dimension, carrying capacity refers to the capacity to provide supply, adjustment, culture, and support for the existence of humans [11][12][13][14]; in terms of the social and economic dimension, carrying capacity refers to the intensity, scope, and relevant threshold of natural resources and environment to carry humans and social and economic activities of humans and, within the threshold system, the resource and environment system will not sustain obvious degeneration or collapse [14][15][16][17]. In addition, from the perspective of disaster response, there is the concept of disaster carrying capacity which refers to the overall resistance capacity of disaster carrying systems, including resources and the environment, to natural disasters [18,19].…”

Discussion of an environmental depletion assessment method–A case study in Xinjiang, China

“…and potential impacts in China in the past 10 years. Zhang et al [23] also found that COD and NH 3 -N pollutants in 89 counties and cities of Xinjiang were not overloaded by assessing the resource and environmental carrying capacity. A proper balance between economic growth and environmental protection is an important issue for the current transformation under socioeconomic and environmental imbalances [51,52].…”

“…The LCA emphasizes the environmental impact and resource loss with products as the core, and the regional environmental impact is inevitably ignored [16,17]. Therefore, with the deepening of research, risk assessment [12,18], ecological footprint [19], multi-objective linear programming [20], emergy analysis [21], environmental carrying capacity [22,23] and other methods have been put forward. They either emphasize the comprehensive optimization of ecological, economic and social objectives, or the risk source, or the carrying capacity of natural resources.…”

“…EDI is an important part of the monitoring and early warning system of China's resource and environmental carrying capacity. In-depth discussion and research on its methods is of great significance for curbing environmental deterioration, stabilizing environmental carrying capacity, solving air and water pollution problems and promoting sustainable development [23,25,32].…”

Early Warning Evaluation and Warning Trend Analysis of the Resource and Environment Carrying Capacity in Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang

“…Although the research on the carrying capacity of resource and environment at home and abroad has achieved fruitful results, there are still problems such as a generalized concept, a single technical method, a weak comprehensive evaluation of the research, a unified comprehensive index system and evaluation model, and a weak practical application [11,12]. Moreover, in our previous research review, through reading a lot of studies, we found that the current research on the carrying capacity of resource and environment is mainly based on static evaluation, lacking the prediction of future development trends [13].…”