Natural capital utilization based on a three-dimensional ecological footprint model: A case study in northern Shaanxi, China

Utilization of the capital stock and capital flow is the basis for evaluation of regional ecological construction, it is helpful to promote the coordinated development of economic and natural capital utilization, and improve the utilization efficiency of natural capital. Northern Shaanxi is characterised as being rich in energy resources and having a fragile ecological environment. Taking northern Shaanxi as an example, based on the analysis of ecological footprint per capita and ecological carrying capacity per capita in northern Shaanxi from 2001 to 2015, the driving factors behind changes in the ecological footprint of the region are revealed by using a partial least squares method. And this study describes the utilization of capital stocks and flows with the ecological footprint depth (EF depth) and ecological footprint size (EF size). Additionally, the TEF size and R-FLOW(STOCK) are firstly used in practice. The research conclusions of this paper are as follows: Firstly, the ecological deficit increased significantly from 2001 to 2015 by a factor of 9.35, and the pull effect of the fossil energy account was the most clear. Secondly, the main driving factors behind the change in the ecological footprint are population, and above-scale industrial output value. Thirdly, northern Shaanxi needs 4.08 times its present area in order to meet its resource consumption level. Fourthly, both the consumption of natural capital stocks and flows were found to be increasing, and the consumption of capital stocks is found to be 3.05 times as fast as the utilization of capital flows. These findings not only is of realistic significance in promoting the coordinated development between economy and natural capital utilization in northern Shaanxi under the constraint of fragile environment, but also has policy implications in improving the utilization efficiency of natural capital in ecologically fragile areas. And this study will help in understanding the fragile ecosystems of these regions, provide a reference for similar energy-rich and ecologically fragile areas and promote practical construction at the same time.