Why is it crucial to evaluate the fairness of natural capital consumption in urban agglomerations in terms of ecosystem services and economic contribution?

The issue of ecosystem service (ES) decline due to the unfair consumption of natural capital in urban agglomerations (UAs) has been neglected. This study analysed the spatio-temporal differences characteristics of the three-dimensional ecological footprint and ES value. The Gini coefficient was used to construct a fairness evaluation framework based on physical and value accounting of natural capital consumption. Taking the Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration (GPUA) as a case, the results show the GPUA consistently generated an ecological deficit. The natural capital stock is gradually being consumed. The natural capital consumption of a city matches its ecological carrying capacity and contributes to economic growth, the Gini coefficient of ES reached 0.4 in 2015 and 2017, indicating that the degree of unfairness is increasing. The ES-based evaluation more objectively reflects the fairness of natural capital consumption and ecological supply among cities. Using coefficient of ecological supply, ES value coefficient, economic contribution coefficient, and contribution coefficient of per capita income as the classification of city types helps to judge the fairness of the natural capital consumption of UAs. This framework helps deepen understanding of the coordinated relationship between UAs' socio-economic systems and ecosystems from the perspective of ecological supply and demand balance.

Automated summary

This study focused on the unfair consumption of natural capital in urban agglomerations, using the Gini coefficient to evaluate the fairness. The results showed that the ecological deficit in the Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration is worsening, with the unfairness of natural capital consumption increasing over time. The evaluation based on ecosystem services reflects the fairness of natural capital consumption among cities more objectively.