ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY AND COMPENSATION USING AN IMPROVED THREE-DIMENSIONAL FOOTPRINT MODEL: A CASE STUDY OF HUNAN PROVINCE, CHINA

Scientific assessment of regional ecological sustainability holds critical decision-making value for formulating conservation policies and advancing sustainable development.Taking Hunan Province as a case study, this research developed a Composite Index of Ecologically Sustainable Development and an ecological compensation model based on an improved three-dimensional ecological footprint model, systematically evaluating the evolutionary characteristics of ecological sustainability and compensation standards in Hunan Province from 2010 to 2022.The results indicate that: (1) From 2010 to 2022, both the ecological footprint and ecological deficit in Hunan Province showed fluctuating upward trends, while ecological carrying capacity exhibited a gradual annual increase.Notably, Changsha City demonstrated a significant inverse growth pattern in its ecological footprint.(2) The per capita footprint size and footprint depth in Hunan Province displayed oscillatory growth and decline, respectively, with footprint depth consistently exceeding 1, indicating enhanced efficiency in natural resource utilization alongside persistent natural capital stock depletion, albeit with reduced capital stock occupancy.(3) The overall level of ecological sustainable development in Hunan Province improved significantly, with Changsha City showing the most substantial optimization, while Xiangtan City remained in a state of extreme unsustainable development.(4) The ecological compensation area in Hunan Province expanded, with Yueyang City recording the highest average compensation payment, and Huaihua City, as the primary ecological compensation recipient, receiving the largest total compensation amount.