Evolutional analysis of coupling between population and resource-environment in China

Due to rapid development of population and economy since reform and opening, resource-environment has been intensively influenced in China, so human-land contradiction is becoming increasingly obvious. Through evolutional analysis of coupling between population and resource-environment in China, authors hope that it will make for further study on human-land relationship. Based on the panel and serial statistical data, status of population and resource-environment coupling has been researched by principal component analysis method and coordinated development degree (CDD) model in China during 1985-2004. The results are: (1) On one hand, integrated population development capability has increased continuously. Maximum of integrated population development index (IPDI) reached 0.8094 in 1998. On the other hand, integrated resource-environment status has declined with a fluctuant falling trend since 1985, and integrated resource-environment utilization index (IRUI) has decreased from 0.5511 to 0.1479. Population development is at the cost of unsustainable utilization of resource-environment. (2) The coupling relationship between population and resource-environment varies gradually from awful maladjustment to secondary harmony, and then to moderate maladjustment. Maximum of CDD came up to 0.6379 in 1994. The direct cause of variation of coupling relationship is that population system and resource-environment system didn't continuously cooperate with each other from 1985 to 2004. (3) Carrying capability of resource-environment is limited while demands of human being are increasingly expanding, so sustainable development faces huge pressure in China. It is difficult to achieve the goal of all-round well-off society since China's per capita GDP was only 3923 yuan in 1994. (4): Suggestions that would benefit sustainable development were put forward in this paper, such as controlling population quantity, improving population quality, making progress in technology, strengthening resource-environment protection, and advocating moderation consumption. The coordinated development mode that makes population and resource-environment interact well should be chosen. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of National University of Singapore.